CANNOT 

AND  CAMERA 


CANNON  AND  CAMERA 


CANNON  AND  CAMERA 


SEA     AND     LAND     BATTLES     OF 

THE    SPANISH-AMERICAN   WAR 

IN  CUBA,  CAMP  LIFE,  AND  THE 

RETURN    OF   THE    SOLDIERS 


Described  and  Illustrated 
BY  JOHN   C.   HEMMENT 

War  Artist  at  the  Front 


With  Index,  and  an  Introduction  by 
W.  I.  LINCOLN  ADAMS 


NEW   YORK 
D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 

1898 


COPYRIGHT,  1898, 
Bv  D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY. 


All  rights  in  Text  and  Illustrations 
are  reserved. 


3 

ACCESSION 
0AKCHOFT  UBRABY 


ta  mji  toifc. 


PREFACE. 


I  AM  more  familiar  with  the  camera  than 
with  the  pen,  but  my  range  of  personal  ex- 
periences has  been  so  wide  during  the  Span- 
ish-American War  that  I  have  been  led  to 
hope  that  this  record  of  what  I  have  seen  in 
camps,  on  battlefields,  and  on  shipboard  will 
prove  of  interest  and  value  to  readers. 

My  thanks  are  due  to  a  very  old  friend, 
Mr.  A.  J.  Kenealy,  who  took  my  work  in  hand 
and  kindly  saw  the  pages  through  the  press. 

J.  C.  H. 

NEW  YORK,  October  i,  1898. 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE  practical  application  of  modern 
photography  is  daily  becoming  more  wide- 
spread and  useful.  The  camera  is  now  a 
most  important  product  of  our  nineteenth- 
century  civilization.  It  is  an  almost  indis- 
pensable instrument  in  nearly  every  profes- 
sion and  all  the  sciences. 

Reproductive  photography  has  revolu- 
tionized periodical  and  book  illustration. 
The  photo-engraver's  camera  has  been  for 
several  years  a  most  important  agent  in  the 
preparation  of  the  great  daily  newspaper,  as 
well  as  the  illustrated  weekly  and  monthly 
magazine;  and  the  improved  hand  camera  is 
almost  as  important  an  implement  in  the  out- 
fit of  a  special  correspondent  as  his  pencil 
and  notebook.  It  is  more  effective  and 
satisfactory  than  the  sketching  pad,  and  has 
consequently  superseded  it. 


X  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

The  camera  has  long  been  a  favourite  im- 
plement of  the  chase,  capturing  the  image  of 
game  which  it  did  not  kill.  But  it  remained 
for  the  author  of  this  book  to  demonstrate  its 
effectiveness  as  an  instrument  of  war.  Pho- 
tographs have  been  made  heretofore  of  camp 
life,  the  fields  of  military  operations,  and  naval 
manoeuvres,  but  so  far  as  I  know  Mr.  Hem- 
ment  is  the  first  photographer  to  obtain  a 
complete  pictorial  description  of  an  entire 
war,  including  not  only  the  pictures  of  life  in 
camp  or  on  board  the  men-of-war,  but  also 
faithful  views  of  actual  engagements  both  on 
land  and  sea. 

Mr.  Hemment  has  been  a  recognised  lead- 
er for  a  number  of  years  among  the  most  skil- 
ful photographers  of  the  country,  especially 
in  instantaneous  work,  having  successfully 
photographed  with  his  special  apparatus — 
designed  for  him  after  his  own  directions — 
the  most  difficult  athletic  events.  An  athlete, 
also,  himself,  he  was  peculiarly  well  fitted  to 
undertake  the  hazardous  enterprise  of  photo- 
graphing the  scenes  and  deeds  of  the  recent 
war  with  Spain. 

That  he  has  done  his  work  well  and  com- 


INTRODUCTION.  xi 

pletely  the  following  pages  fully  attest.  His 
pictures  and  account  begin  with  the  exciting 
scenes  which  followed  the  destruction  of  the 
battle  ship  Maine,  include  characteristic 
scenes  in  the  various  American  camps,  de- 
pict the  stirring  deeds  of  our  squadron  before 
Santiago  de  Cuba,  and  end  with  the  opera- 
tions which  resulted  in  the  fall  of  that  city 
and  the  victorious  close  of  the  war. 

Mr.  Hemment  was  not  satisfied  to  photo- 
graph only  those  scenes  which  could  be 
caught  without  danger  to  himself;  he  made 
some  of  his  most  successful  pictures  to  the 
thrilling  accompaniment  of  Spanish  Mauser 
bullets.  It  is  therefore  to  his  courage  as  a 
man  as  well  as  to  his  skill  as  a  photographer 
that  we  owre  this  very  satisfactory  pictorial  ac- 
count of  the  war  for  Cuba's  independence. 

W.  I.  LINCOLN  ADAMS. 
NEW  YORK. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

INTRODUCTION  BY  W.  I.  LINCOLN  ADAMS,      ix 

I.— THE    BLOWING   UP   OF   THE   MAINE       .  .  I 

My  arrival  in  Havana — The  wreck  of  the 
Maine — Welcomed  by  Captain  Sigsbee  and  Con- 
sul-General Lee— Hostility  of  the  Spanish  volun- 
teers— Insults  to  Americans — An  arrest  and  escape 
— Arrival  of  the  Montgomery — The  Board  of  In- 
quiry— The  camera  in  the  bull  ring — With  Senator 
Proctor  among  the  reconcentrados — Brutal  Span- 
ish soldiers — Our  train  attacked  by  insurgents — 
I  bribe  the  custom-house  officers  and  depart  with 
photographs  of  the  forts. 

II. — SOLDIERS  IN  CAMP 40 

Scenes  at  Hempstead — Effects  of  red  tape — 
Drilling  volunteers — Unsanitary  conditions  in 
camps  North  and  South — Red  tape  and  transpor- 
tation. 

III.— OFF    FOR   THE    SEAT   OF   WAR  6l 

My  work  in  packing  my  photographic  and 
other  supplies — Lessons  learned  in  Cuba  stand 
me  in  good  stead — Medical  stores  and  comforts 
— My  shipmates  and  my  vessel — Our  stay  at 
Jamaica,  where  we  buy  polo  ponies,  and  take  in 
necessary  stores. 

xiii 


XJV  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

IV. — LANDING  IN  THE  ENEMY'S  COUNTRY       .      70 

Our  first  encounter  with  the  American  navy 
— Welcomed  by  Admiral  Sampson  and  received 
by  General  Shafter — Interview  with  General  Gar- 
cia, of  the  Cuban  army — Insurgents  made  glad  by 
presents  of  rations — Delight  of  our  troops  at  land- 
ing— The  Red  Cross  Society  begins  its  work  of 
mercy. 

V.— WITH  SHAFTER  AND  HIS  STAFF      .        .      87 

I  follow  the  general  on  a  reconnoitering  ex- 
pedition in  the  direction  of  Santiago,  and  photo- 
graph the  graves  of  the  Rough  Riders — From 
the  summit  of  a  lofty  tree  I  get  my  first  view 
of  Santiago — A  tropical  storm  and  difficult  roads 
make  travelling  arduous — Where  the  Rough 
Riders  were  killed. 

VI. — ART   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES  .          .  .        98 

In  the  dark  room  on  the  Sylvia — Quick  work 
in  printing — Back  to  Santiago  again — A  despatch 
boat's  devices. 

VII.— BOMBARDMENT  OF  MORRO  CASTLE        .     106 

The  Sylvia  in  the  thick  of  the  fight — A  visit  to 
a  wounded  war  correspondent  on  the  Olivette. 

VIII.  -AMONG  THE  CUBAN  PICKETS  .        .        .114 

Warfare  of  Cubans  and  Spaniards — Our  men 
surprised  while  bathing — A  battle  in  undress — 
We  repulse  the  attack — Disguises  and  am- 
bushes. 

IX.— THE  MULE   IN   THE   CAMPAIGN.  .  .124 

Pack  trains  and  their  drivers — Transporting 
stores  and  ammunition — The  mule  confirms  his 
reputation  for  wisdom. 


CONTENTS.  xv 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

X.— IN   CAMP   WITH   THE   SOLDIERS  .  .      130 

Incidents  during  the  advance  on  Santiago — 
Hard-tack  sandwiches  and  cartridge  pudding — 
Foraging  for  cocoanuts  and  mangoes — Evening 
amusements — The  difficulties  of  letter  writing. 

XI. — THE  SIEGE  OF  SANTIAGO        .        .        .135 

Advance  to  the  front  under  difficulties — 
Graves  of  the  Rough  Riders — Observations  by 
balloon — Grimes's  battery  opens  fire — Response 
by  shrapnel — In  the  thick  of  the  fight — Bravery 
of  the  Seventy-first. 

XII. — THE  CHARGE  AT   EL   CANEY     .  .  .164 

Heroism  of  our  colored  troops — Bold  dash  for 
the  fort — A  correspondent's  wound — A  non-com- 
batant's prisoners — Victory  at  last — Some  unex- 
pected horrors. 

XIII.— OUR  BOLD  ROUGH  RIDERS     .       .        .     178 

Colonel  Roosevelt  as  a  fighter — He  inspires 
his  brave  men — Heroes  in  the  field — Sad  scenes 
in  the  hospitals — Criminal  incompetence  or  what  ? 
— Burial  of  a  soldier  without  benefit  of  clergy. 

XIV.— SHARPSHOOTERS  IN  ACTION    .        .        .     194 

Persecution  by  Spanish  marksmen — Narrow 
escapes  from  death — The  capture  of  the  block- 
house— Life  in  the  trenches — The  roll  call. 

XV. — THE  GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE  .     .     .   2o6 

How  Cervera's  squadron  put  out  of  Santiago 
and  was  destroyed — Photographing  the  stranded 
ships — A  capture  of  Spanish  prisoners. 


xvi  CANNON    AND    CAMERA. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XVI. — SURRENDER  OF  SANTIAGO      .        .        .    229 

General  Miles  prevents  a  retreat — General 
Toral  yields  to  moral  suasion  and  gives  up  the 
city. 

XVII.— RETURN  OF  THE  ROUGH  RIDERS  .        .    236 

General  Wheeler  and  Colonel  Roosevelt  wel- 
comed at  Camp  Wikoff — Suffering  of  troops  at 
Montauk  Point — Home  coming  of  the  Seventy- 
first — Contrast  between  naval  militia  and  volun- 
teers. 

APPENDIX  .        .        .        .      ~ .        .        .        .263 

Hints  to  amateur  and  professional  photog- 
raphers. 

INDEX 273 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FACING 
PAGE 

The  Maine  passing  Morro  Castle,  Havana   Frontispiece 

The  wreck  of  the  Maine      ......  5 

Fort  Punta,  Havana    .......  10 

The  Spanish  admiral   leaving  the   U.   S.  S.  Mont- 
gomery .........  14 

Spanish  divers  at  work  on  the  wreck  of  the  Maine   .  17 

Board  of  Inquiry  in  session  at  Havana      ...  24 
Chaplain  Chidwick  superintending  the  transfer  of 

bodies  to  the  Bach         ......  26 

Chaplain  Chidwick  offering   prayer  at  the   graves 

of  the  Maine  sailors  in  Colon  Cemetery      .         .  29 

A  narrow  escape.         .         /        ,                  .         ,     •    .  32 

The  final  thrust    .                   .         .         .;  '    .         .         .  32 

Among  the  reconcentrados  in  the  interior.         .         .  35 
Making  photographs  from  the  fighting  top  of  the 

Maine    .         .         .                   .„."...  38 

Camp  Black,  Hempstead,  Long  Island      ...  41 
Peeling  potatoes .         .         ..--..•        .         •         •         -44 

Breaking  in  raw  recruits  at  Camp  Black   ...  47 

Larned,  the  polo  player,  one  of  the  Rough  Riders    .  48 
Sergeant  Goff,  died  at  Camp  Wikoff  .         .         .         .48 

Bob  Wrenn,   tennis  champion,   one  of   the   Rough 

Riders    .         .         .  '      .         .         .         .         .         .  50 

Guard  on  outpost  duty,  Camp  Black          .         ,         .  52 
Troop  A  drilling  at  Camp  Black         .         ,         .         -55 


xviii  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 


PAGE 

After  drill  at  Camp  Black 58 

The  quartermaster's  and  commissary's  department, 

Seventy-first  Regiment,  Camp  Black  61 
Ready  for  company  mess,  Seventy-first  Regiment, 

Camp  Black 63 

Company  H,  Seventy-first  Regiment,  packing  up     .  64 

On  a  transport  bound  for  Santiago     ....  67 

The  New  Orleans         .......  70 

Admiral  Sampson        .......  73 

Michigan  volunteers  landing  from  transports  at 

Siboney          ........  74 

Massachusetts  volunteers  landing  at  Siboney  .  .  76 
Cuban  soldiers  watching  the  United  States  troops 

bathing          .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .78 

Cuban  troops  marching  into  Siboney          .         .         .80 

Garcia's  headquarters .......  83 

Cuban  scouts  going  on  outpost  duty  .         .  -85 

Siboney,  showing  mountain  climbed  by  the  soldiers  87 

The  engineer  corps  landing  supplies  .         ...  88 

General  Shafter  and  his  staff       .....  92 

General  Shaffer's  headquarters  at  Playa  ...  95 
Fort  El  Pozo,  showing  heavy  dew  and  atmospheric 

effect  after  a  rainstorm          .....  98 

Developing  negatives  .......  100 

In  Siboney  harbour     .......  103 

The  Texas    .........  107 

The  Gloucester  in  action     .         .         .         .   •_.    .         .  109 

Morro  Castle,  Santiago        .         .         .         .         .         .112 

A  scout  hiding  under  palm  leaves      .         .                  .  114 

Guantanamo  Bay,  Camp  McCalla  in  distance  .         .  117 
A  typical  Cuban  soldiers'  tent     .         .         .         .         .119 

First  blockhouse  at  Siboney,  where  the  American 

flag  was  hoisted  .  .  .  .  '  .  .  .  .  121 

Cuban  scouts  concealed  behind  stumps  of  trees  .  122 

Pack-mule  train  on  the  march  .....  125 


LIST  OF   ILLUSTRATIONS.  xix 

FACING 
PAGE 

Pack  mule  overcome  by  the  heat  while  taking  am- 
munition to  the  front   .         .         .         .         .         .  126 

Bill  Hill's  pack-mule  train  ready  to  move          .         .  128 

A  camp  at  Las  Guasimas    .         .         ,         .         .         .  130 
Cavalrymen  preparing  an  early  breakfast      .     .         .132 

Regular  officers  in  consultation  .....  134 

Second  United  States   cavalrymen   turning   out   at 

reveille.        .        .        .        ....         .         .  137 

The  Sixth  Infantry  near  San  Juan      .         .         .         .  139 

Graves  of  the  Rough  Riders  at  Las  Guasimas  .         .  141 
The  Seventy-first   Regiment   crossing   the   river  at 

San  Juan        ........  142 

Part  of  the  Seventy-first  Regiment,  near  El  Pozo, 

awaiting  orders  to  the  front          ....  144 

In  front  of  El  Pozo 14? 

Rough  Riders  reconnoitring  in  front  of  El  Pozo        .  151 
Cuban  soldiers  dodging  shrapnel  while  looking  for 

dead  and  wounded        ......  155 

Wounded  of  the  Ninth  Cavalry  waiting  for  ambu- 
lances   158 

At  the  graves  of  the  troopers  of  the  Tenth  Cavalry  .  161 

The  fort  and  blockhouse  at  El  Caney       "  .         .         .  165 

Spanish  soldiers  in  the  trenches  at  El  Caney     .         .  169 

Spanish  prisoners  captured  at  El  Caney    .         .         .  172 

Refugees  on  the  way  from  Santiago  to  Siboney         .  175 

Seeking  refuge  before  the  bombardment   .         .         .  176 
Colonel  Roosevelt  addressing  the  Naval  Reserves  at 

Fort  Hamilton 181 

Carrying  a  wounded  officer  to  the  hospital         .         .  184 
Major  Wood,  at  Playa,  directing  disposition  of  the 

wounded        .....         .         .         •         •         •  J86 

Wounded  soldiers  awaiting  their  turn  at  the  operat- 
ing tents         .         .         .         .       ~'.~~~.     .    .    '    .  188 

Cubans,  near  San  Juan,  carrying  a  wounded  soldier 

to  the  rear     .         .         .         .         ...         .191 


xx  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 


A  wounded  Rough  Rider  being  helped  to  hospital 

by  Cubans     ........  191 

Members  of  the  Seventy-first  Regiment  searching 

for  sharpshooters          ......  195 

On  the  hunt  for  Spanish  sharpshooters  near  San 

Juan       .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  196 

The  town  of  El  Caney  the  day  after  the  battle  .  .  198 
Spanish  lieutenants  on  the  way  to  General  Shafter's 

headquarters          .......  202 

United  States  trooper  and  Cuban  scouts  trailing 

Spanish  sharpshooters ......  204 

The  wreck  of  the  Viscaya    .         .         .         .         .         .  208 

The  wreck  of  the  Cristobal  Colon       .         .         .         .211 

The  Oregon  in  fighting  trim        .....  213 

Cuban  soldiers  awaiting  Spanish  sailors    .         .         .  214 

An  interior  view  of  the  wrecked  Viscaya  .         .         .  216 

Starboard-bow  view  of  the  Viscaya    ....  218 

Our  party  capturing  Spanish  sailors  ....  220 

The  wreck  of  the  Oquendo 222 

The  Maria  Teresa        .......  224 

Lieutenant  Hobson  and  commission  boarding  the 

Maria  Teresa          .......  226 

Interior  view  of  the  Maria  Teresa       ....  229 

The  wreck  of  the  Reina  Mercedes       ....  231 

Port-side  view  of  the  Maria  Teresa,  showing  guns 

without  breech  blocks 233 

The  New  York  signalling  off  Santiago  .  .  .  234 
Rough  Riders  assembled  at  Camp  Wikoff  on  day  of 

arrival    .........  236 

General  Wheeler  and  General  Young  at  Camp  Wikoff  239 
Colonel  Roosevelt  greeted  by  Mrs.  John  A.  Logan 

on  his  arrival  at  Camp  Wikoff  ....  242 

The  Rough  Riders'  first  meal  at  Camp  Wikoff  .  .  244 
Lieutenants  "Yale"  Greenway  and  Woodbury  Kane 

writing  telegrams          ......  246 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS.  Xxi 


PAGE 


Hospital  tent,  Camp  Wikoff 248 

Carrying    away   the   sick   and   wounded    at   Camp 

Wikoff   .........     250 

The   Seventy-first    Regiment   leaving   the    train   at 

Long  Island  City  .......     252 

The  Seventy-first  Regiment  on  the  ferryboat  arriv- 
ing at  the  Battery 254 

Honours  to  the  Seventy-first  Regiment  on  Broadway     256 
The  Seventy-first  Regiment  on  Fifth  Avenue    .         .     258 
The  depleted  ranks  of  the  colour  company,  Seventy- 
first  Regiment       .......     260 


CANNON  AND  CAMERA. 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE    BLOWING    UP    OF    THE    MAINE. 

My  arrival  in  Havana — The  wreck  of  the  Maine — Welcomed 
by  Captain  Sigsbee  and  Consul-General  Lee — Hostility  of 
the  Spanish  volunteers — Insults  to  Americans — An  arrest 
and  escape— Arrival  of  the  Montgomery — The  Board  of  In- 
quiry— The  camera  in  the  bull  ring — With  Senator  Proctor 
among  the  reconcentrados — Brutal  Spanish  soldiers — Our 
train  attacked  by  insurgents — I  bribe  the  custom-house 
officers  and  depart  with  photographs  of  the  forts. 

THE  cable  despatch  announcing  the  blow- 
ing up  of  the  battle-ship  Maine  in  Havana  har- 
bour on  February  15,  1898,  came  to  me  as 
a  great  shock.  Of  all  the  vessels  in  Uncle 
Sam's  navy,  she  was  more  endeared  to  me 
than  any  other.  I  had  known  all  her  crew, 
from  Captain  Crowninshield  down  to  the 
youngest  apprentice  boy.  The  officer  with 
whom  I  was  perhaps  most  intimate  was  Lieu- 
tenant Jenkins,  and  just  before  the  sailing  of 


2  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

the  vessel  from  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard  I 
had  lunched  with  him  in  the  wardroom.  He 
spoke  cheerily  about  the  war  ship's  mission, 
as  was  his  custom.  If  he  had  any  premonition 
of  peril  in  the  coming  trip,  he  effectually  con- 
cealed it  from  me.  As  we  parted  at  the  gang- 
way, he  wrung  my  hand  cordially  and  prom- 
ised to  look  me  up  at  my  studio  on  his  return. 

Little  did  I  think  then  that  the  next  time 
I  was  destined  to  see  him  would  be  when 
his  almost  unrecognisable  body  was  brought 
to  the  surface  of  the  harbour  of  Havana  by  an 
American  diver. 

I  was  familiar  with  every  inch  of  the 
Maine,  having  photographed  her  from  nearly 
every  effective  standpoint.  Each  successive 
telegram  from  the  scene  of  the  disaster 
was  eagerly  scanned  by  me  for  news  of 
my  friends  aboard,  and  I  was  much  af- 
fected when  the  name  of  Lieutenant  Jenkins 
appeared  among  the  lost.  As  the  evidence 
grew  more  and  more  convincing  that  the 
Maine  had  been  sent  to  the  bottom  by  Span- 
ish treachery,  I  grew  correspondingly  more 
eager,  for  personal  and  professional  reasons, 
to  reach  Havana  and  observe  for  myself. 


THE   BLOWING    UP   OF    THE    MAINE.  3 

It  did  not  take  me  long  to  make  arrange- 
ments for  starting.  I  was  instructed  by  the 
United  States  Government  to  take  photo- 
graphs of  the  shattered  ship,  and  Secretary 
Long  of  the  navy  furnished  me  with  a  letter 
to  Captain  Sigsbee,  who  had  succeeded  Cap- 
tain Crowninshield  in  command  of  the  Maine, 
requesting  him  to  make  my  task  as  easy  as 
possible.  In  addition  to  this,  I  had  several 
commissions  from  pictorial  papers,  so  that, 
in  packing  up  my  traps  for  the  trip,  I  in- 
cluded a  large  supply  of  photographic  neces- 
saries, not  knowing  of  a  certainty  whether 
my  wants  could  be  filled  in  the  Cuban  capital, 
this  being  my  first  visit  to  the  Pearl  of  the 
Antilles. 

It  was  on  Saturday,  February  19,  four 
days  after  the  destruction  of  the  Maine,  that 
I  embarked  on  the  Seguranca,  bound  from 
New  York  to  Havana.  My  friends  flocked 
to  the  dock  in  large  numbers  to  see  me  off 
and  wish  me  good  luck.  Nothing  of  conse- 
quence occurred  on  the  passage  to  interest 
the  public.  The  only  matter  of  personal  in- 
terest was  that  my  old  enemy  seasickness, 
with  which  I  am  afflicted  in  fair  weather  and 


4  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

foul,  again  attacked  me.  Nothing  else  was 
talked  about  but  the  destruction  of  the  Maine, 
and  nearly  all  on  board  blamed  the  Span- 
iards. 

On  Wednesday  morning  we  sighted  in  the 
distance  old  Morro  Castle,  stately  and  beau- 
tiful, a  mass  of  solid  battlemented  masonry 
before  which  the  lofty  lighthouse,  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  feet  in  height,  stands  up  like 
a  giant  sentry.  The  observatory  and  signal 
station  are  in  the  castle,  which  was  built  in 
1589,  and  was  at  that  time  doubtless  a  formi- 
dable defence,  but  its  gray  stone  walls,  mas- 
sive as  they  are,  would  soon  crumble  and  suc- 
cumb to  the  blows  of  modern  projectiles. 

The  entrance  to  the  harbour  is  pictur- 
esque. Morro  Castle  and  white-walled  Fort 
Cabana  on  the  east  and  Castle  Punta  on  the 
west  were  so  attractive  that  I  levelled  my 
camera  on  them  with  excellent  results,  con- 
tinuing my  operations  as  we  steamed  up  the 
bay,  taking  photographs  of  all  the  fortifica- 
tions and  other  objects  that  appealed  to  my 
artistic  sense.  And  so  I  worked  on  until  we 
came  abreast  of  the  sunken  Maine. 

The  shattered  ship  at  this  time  was  a  sight 


THE   BLOWING   UP   OF   THE    MAINE.  5 

which  I  shall  never  forget.  I  had  last  seen 
her,  beautiful,  graceful,  and  majestic  in  all 
her  strength,  floating  lazily  on  the  waters  of 
Chesapeake  Bay,  all  hands  on  board  in  good 
spirits,  jolly  and  gay,  and  they  were  as  fine 
a  lot  of  fellows  as  ever  served  under  the  flag 
of  Uncle  Sam. 

Hence,  when  I  saw  her  now,  an  unrecog- 
nisable mass  of  twisted,  mangled,  charred 
scrap  iron,  formerly  the  home,  now  the  sepul- 
chre, of  so  many  brave  men,  it  would  be  dif- 
ficult to  portray  accurately  my  emotions. 
The  vessel  was  lacerated  and  mutilated  be- 
yond recognition.  A  single  mast  alone  re- 
mained. Her  massive  steel  beams  and 
girders  were  bent  and  twisted.  Her  funnels 
and  ventilators  were  rent  and  distorted.  I 
was  overcome.  I  could  not  possibly  believe 
that  this  battered  hulk  was  once  the  battle 
ship  I  knew  so  well. 

We  passed  beyond  her  to  an  anchorage 
not  far  distant,  and  there  began  the  work  of 
disembarkation.  The  day  was  a  scorcher; 
such  heat  I  had  never  encountered.  I  was 
not  in  any  way  prepared  for  this  high  tem- 
perature, but  lost  no  time  in  getting  my  traps 


6  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

together  and  lowered  into  one  of  those  boats 
that  surround  every  incoming  steamer, 
manned  by  land  sharks  eager  to  prey  on 
strangers  luckless  enough  to  fall  into  their 
clutches.  With  bag  and  baggage  we  were 
hustled  off  to  the  custom  house,  where  we 
were  the  observed  of  all  observers.  Grins  on 
the  debased  and  begrimed  faces  of  the  ped- 
dling women  and  supercilious  sneers  on  the 
countenances  of  the  haughty  dons  gave  us  to 
understand  that  we  were  looked  upon  as  in- 
truders, and  treated  as  such.  The  custom- 
house officials  stood  round  waiting  for  some- 
thing, I  know7  not  what.  Soon  a  hotel  pro- 
prietor came  to  our  rescue.  He  told  us  that 
the  Pasaje  Hotel  was  the  only  high-class 
hostelry  in  Havana.  We  had  heard  of  the 
Inglaterra,  but  up  to  that  time  the  fame  of 
the  Pasaje  had  not  reached  us.  The  en- 
treaties of  mine  host,  however,  were  so  win- 
ning, and  it  was  apparent  that  he  had  so  strong 
a  "  pull  "  with  all  the  officials,  that  I  yielded 
to  his  blandishments,  and  was  led  off  an  easy 
prey.  He  reminded  me  of  the  typical  Span- 
ish innkeeper,  portrayed  so  vividly  in  Gil  Bias 
and  Don  Quixote.  Happily,  I  was  not  alone; 


THE    BLOWING    UP   OF    THE    MAINE.  7 

others  had  joined  me,  ready  like  myself  to 
endure  with  patience  and  philosophy  any- 
thing that  might  befall.  Our  baggage  was 
piled  into  one  of  those  numerous  mule  wag- 
ons that  swarm  in  every  street,  and  we  were 
ushered  into  a  rather  rickety  coupe  and 
started  off  for  the  Pasaje.  The  first  thing 
that  struck  me  was  the  noticeable  narrowness 
of  the  streets  and  the  comparative  absence  of 
sidewalks. 

Obispo  Street,  through  which  we  passed, 
was  hung  from  side  to  side  and  end  to  end 
with  what  the  natives  were  pleased  to  term 
their  flag  of  "  blood  and  gold."  From  every 
possible  place  the  eye  met  the  Spanish  col- 
ours. Not  a  single  Cuban  flag  was  visible. 
After  passing  through  several  streets  crowded 
with  queer-looking  individuals,  who  seemed 
as  though  they  would  be  benefited  by  a  bath 
and  a  full  meal,  we  arrived  at  the  hotel.  To 
us  the  landlord  and  his  servants  were  all 
urbanity,  bowing,  scraping,  and  patting  us 
on  the  back  in  a  manner  so  effusive  as  to  be 
offensive. 

We  were  shown  to  our  rooms  almost  im- 
mediately. A  bed  surrounded  by  a  mosquito 


8  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

canopy  occupied  the  middle  of  my  chamber. 
This  was  discouraging,  for  if  there  is  one  in- 
sect on  earth  which  seems  able  to  perform 
creditable  sleuth  work  where  I  am  the  hunted 
object,  it  is  the  mosquito.  My  room  had  no 
windows,  a  tiled  floor,  and  a  wooden  ceiling. 
It  opened  into  a  courtyard  pretty  well  filled 
with  Spanish  army  officers,  regulars  and  aux- 
iliaries. This  hotel,  by  the  way,  was  quite 
a  headquarters  for  the  officers  of  the  Havana 
volunteers. 

Soon  dinner  was  announced.  It  was  a 
puzzler  for  me,  the  bill  of  fare  being  printed 
in  Spanish,  and,  as  my  Spanish  vocabulary 
was  in  inverse  ratio  to  my  appetite,  I  feared 
the  worst.  However,  I  contrived  to  make 
known  my  wants  to  the  \vaiter  at  our  table. 
This  waiter  was  a  character.  While  he  served 
us  with  great  politeness,  and  was  obsequious- 
ly servile  in  our  presence,  I  noticed  that  when 
he  went  back  to  the  kitchen  a  sinister  sneer 
came  over  his  swarthy  countenance,  which 
seemed  to  say,  "  Oh,  those  pigs!"  On  my 
left  and  right,  in  front  and  behind,  at  nearly 
every  table  in  the  restaurant,  one  or  two 
Spanish  officers  sat.  They  did  not  look  as 


THE    BLOWING    UP   OF    THE    MAINE.  9 

though  they  were  in  Havana  for  war,  but 
simply  for  pleasure.  They  were  accom- 
panied by  wives  and  sweethearts,  friends 
and  children,  and  were  thoroughly  enjoying 
themselves.  The  scene  recalled  the  frivolities 
of  Paris. 

After  dinner  I  strolled  up  to  the  Casa 
Inglaterra.  This  hotel  was  the  headquarters 
for  the  officers  and  newspaper  men  in  gen- 
eral, and  everything  that  was  going  on  was 
first  known  there.  Having  with  me  Secre- 
tary Long's  letter  to  Captain  Sigsbee,  I  went 
in  search  of  him.  On  presenting  my  creden- 
tials, I  could  not  help  being  impressed  by 
his  frank  and  earnest  face,  which  bore  well- 
defined  traces  of  the  fearful  mental  strain  of 
the  past  few  days.  His  was  indeed  an  ardu- 
ous position,  but  he  passed  through  the  grim 
ordeal  as  a  brave  American  sailor  should,  re- 
flecting credit  on  his  country  and  compelling 
the  admiration  of  friend  and  foe.  Captain 
Sigsbee  knew  that  I  had  come  to  make  photo- 
graphs for  the  Government.  He  told  me  that 
he  would  be  pleased  to  help  me  in  obtaining 
good  pictures  of  the  wreck  of  the  Maine, 
and  I  am  indebted  to  him  and  Lieutenant- 


IO  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

Commander  Wainwright,  executive  officer 
of  the  Maine,  for  many  courtesies. 

At  a  table  in  the  dining  room  of  the  hotel 
sat  General  Fitzhugh  Lee,  the  American  con- 
sul general.  When  dinner  was  over  and  I 
had  been  presented  to  the  general  by  one  of 
the  many  newspaper  correspondents,  I  took 
the  opportunity  to  present  a  letter  of  intro- 
duction to  him  which  I  had  from  Mr.  W.  J. 
Arkell.  The  general  shook  me  heartily  by 
the  hand,  and,  dubbing  me  "  captain,"  said 
that  he  would  be  pleased  to  do  anything  he 
possibly  could  for  me.  I  felt  at  last  as 
though  I  were  at  home  again,  and  after  a 
time  I  strolled  back  to  the  Pasaje  and  went 
to  bed. 

After  a  good  night's  rest,  I  woke  in  the 
morning  and  came  down  to  the  breakfast 
room  at  about  half  past  seven,  only  to  find 
that  no  breakfast  was  served  so  early.  It  is 
the  Spanish  custom  to  take  but  a  cup  of  cof- 
fee, go  to  business  for  two  or  three  hours,  and 
to  take  breakfast  at  1 1  A.  M.  In  Cuba  scarce- 
ly any  work  is  done  in  the  middle  of  the  day, 
the  heat  being  so  intense.  Offices  and  banks 
close  from  n  A.  M.  until  2  P.  M. 


THE    BLOWING   UP   OF    THE   MAINE.         n 

After  breakfast  I  got  my  camera  and  plates 
together,  and  with  my  assistant  stowed  my- 
self away  in  a  one-horse  vehicle  (my  rever- 
ence for  age  debars  me  from  attempting  to 
describe  it),  which  took  us  to  the  wharves 
and  docks.  There  we  found  characters  and 
scenes  galore.  I  walked  along  the  water 
front  from  the  San  Francisco  dock  to  the 
Regla  Ferry,  making  pictures  of  everything 
that  struck  my  fancy.  This  part  of  Havana 
reminded  me  of  West  Street,  New  York. 
Here  ships  filled  with  all  kinds  of  grain  and 
provisions  were  being  unloaded  by  Spaniards 
and  Cubans.  The  rowdy  element  was  pres- 
ent on  all  sides,  and  as  I  passed  from  dock 
to  dock  I  not  unfrequently  heard  the  remark 
which  translated  means,  "  The  dirty  Ameri- 
cans! "  While  they  did  not  insult  us  openly 
to  our  face,  sneers,  jeers,  and  ridicule  were 
everywhere  encountered. 

My  ignorance  of  the  Spanish  language 
prevented  me  from  comprehending  the  mean- 
ing of  their  words,  but  I  drew  my  conclusions 
from  the  malign  expression  of  their  counte- 
nances. We  came  to  a  gang  on  a  dock,  all  of 
whom  pointed  to  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  with 


12  CANNON    AND    CAMERA. 

unmistakable  pride.  They  made  us  under- 
stand that  they  gloried  in  that  dastardly  deed, 
and  that  they  were  sorry  that  all  of  our  coun- 
trymen were  not  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 
All  Havana  knew  that  the  Maine  had  been 
destroyed  purposely,  and  only  the  educated 
classes  affected  to  believe  that  the  ship  had 
been  sunk  by  an  interior  explosion.  The 
mob,  incapable  of  artistic  dissimulation,  did 
not  try  to  conceal  their  joy.  Little  did  they 
then  know  in  how  short  a  time  they  would 
have  to  pay  the  awful  penalty  of  that  terri- 
ble outrage. 

My  experience  that  afternoon  taught  me 
that  the  best  way  to  treat  these  people  was 
to  take  their  insolence  and  say  nothing. 

In  passing  along  the  streets  we  continual- 
ly came  in  contact  with  the  volunteer  ele- 
ment, which  was  a  most  dangerous  one.  The 
Spanish  volunteers  are  bloodthirsty  and  fero- 
cious. The  Cubans  have  reason  to  hate  them. 
During  the  rebellion  their  cruelty  to  the  Cu- 
bans was  terrible.  They  maintained  a  reign 
of  terror.  Everywhere  I  went  I  was  im- 
pressed by  the  bitter  hatred  that  exists  be- 
tween Castilian  and  Cuban,  caused  by  cen- 


THE    BLOWING    UP   OF    THE    MAINE.         13 

turies  of  tyranny  and  oppression.  The  vol- 
unteers exhibited  it  more  than  any  other  class 
of  Spaniards.  They  were  licensed  libertines, 
suffered  only  to  exist  because  of  their  loy- 
alty to  their  government.  They  were  perpet- 
ually looking  for  a  fight,  and  would  think  no 
more  of  firing  a  bomb  off  in  a  public  street 
than  a  cowboy  on  the  "  rampage  "  does  of 
discharging  his  revolver  in  the  air  as  he  gal- 
lops through  a  frontier  town  in  the  far  West. 
Beneath  the  thin  veneer  of  vaunted  Spanish 
chivalry  which  these  volunteers  affect,  there 
lies  a  solid  stratum  of  the  baser  qualities  of 
degenerate  humanity.  I  fear  that  in  the  re- 
construction of  Cuba  harsh  measures  will  be 
necessary  to  bring  them  under  control. 

The  sidewalks,  where  they  do  exist,  are 
narrow,  and  will  accommodate  pedestrians  in 
single  file  only.  The  officers  and  the  men 
of  the  volunteer  regiments  seemed  to  think 
that  they  had  the  right  of  way,  and  to  me, 
carrying  a  camera  which  was  rather  weighty, 
stepping  off  the  sidewalks  all  the  time  to 
allow  one  of  these  swashbucklers  to  pass 
seemed  useless  and  monotonous  exercise.  I 
therefore  made  a  rule  for  myself,  and  deter- 
3 


I4  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

mined  to  hold  my  own,  with  my  faithful  man 
to  back  me.  On  one  occasion  I  encountered 
an  officer  of  the  Spanish  volunteers,  and,  de- 
clining to  make  way,  remained  on  the  side- 
walk. He  glared  at  me  in  indignant  amaze- 
ment because  I  did  not  get  off  for  his  Excel- 
lency. I  stood  and  looked  at  him  for  a  while 
and  simply  motioned,  as  much  as  to  say: 
"This  is  mine;  you  get  off  this  time."  He 
did  not  seem  to  understand  what  I  meant, 
and  as  I  could  not  tell  him  in  his  own  lan- 
guage, and  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  ask 
me  in  mine,  I  forced  my  way  past  him,  with 
the  result  that  he  went  off.  Some  foreign  re- 
marks of  an  uncomplimentary  character  came 
from  this  gentleman,  but  I  passed  on  un- 
heeding. 

This  little  encounter  occurred  on  Cuba 
Street,  where  my  dark  room  and  little  impro- 
vised studio  were  located,  so  that  I  had  to 
travel  up  and  down  this  street  quite  frequent- 
ly. I  enforced  this  regulation  of  my  own 
making  as  far  as  possible.  If  I  met  one  of 
the  opposite  sex,  a  fashionably  dressed  wom- 
an, or  a  poor,  emaciated  creature  with  a  baby 
on  one  arm  and  several  more  tagging  at  her 


The  Spanish  admiral  leaving  the  U.  S.  S.  Montgomery. 


THE    BLOWING    UP    OF    THE    MAINE.         15 

tattered  garments,  I  invariably  gave  way, 
but  whenever  I  met  one  of  the  haughty 
snobs  of  Spain's  volunteers  I  took  pleasure 
in  showing  him  that  he  did  not  own  all 
Havana. 

My  duty  sometimes  called  me  to  \vork 
rather  late,  developing  my  plates  and  getting 
my  prints  ready,  so  that  it  was  often  midnight 
before  I  left  my  studio.  It  was  my  misfor- 
tune on  several  occasions  to  have  some  of 
these  volunteers  walk  close  behind  me,  when 
they  took  great  delight  in  spitting  upon  my 
person.  Mark  you,  behind  my  back!  I  felt 
this  more  than  once,  and  knew  it  to  be  a 
fact,  but  I  thought  discretion  the  better  part 
of  valour,  for  had  I  resented  this  insult  it 
would  have  been  far  worse  for  me.  I  knew 
that  they  were  cowards,  or  they  would  never 
have  done  such  mean  tricks.  I  realized  then 
that  these  Spanish  volunteers  would  prove 
themselves  poltroons  in  battle,  for  no  man 
that  is  not  a  dastard  will  do  behind  another 
man's  back  what  he  dare  not  do  to  his  face. 
One  of  the  volunteers,  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
was  so  bitter  against  Americans  that  he  re- 
fused to  make  a  few  necessary  alterations  in 


l6  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

my  studio,  although  I  offered  him  payment 
at  an  extravagant  rate. 

It  remained,  however,  for  the  arrival  of 
the  Montgomery  to  show  the  risk  run  by  a 
man  in  the  fulfillment  of  his  duty,  and  the 
obloquy  one  meets  in  a  hostile  country.  On 
the  morning  the  Montgomery  was  sighted 
several  miles  off  Morro  I  went  down  to  Fort 
Punta  to  await  her  passage  into  the  narrow7 
bay.  During  my  wait  I  focussed  my  camera 
on  Morro  Castle  just  across  the  bay,  when 
I  heard  some  one  calling,  as  I  thought,  to 
deride  and  ridicule  me.  I  paid  no  attention, 
when  suddenly  a  gentleman  came  up  to  me 
and  warned  me  that  the  garrison  was  about 
to  fire  on  me.  I  looked  up  in  amazement, 
and  saw  a  company  drawrn  up  on  the  para- 
pet of  Fort  Punta.  Their  guns  were  pointed 
at  me  as  if  they  were  just  about  to  shoot.  An 
officer  mounted  the  parapet,  and,  gesticulat- 
ing excitedly,  yelled  to  me  (in  Spanish,  as  I 
afterward  learned)  that  I  was  under  arrest. 
I  was  thus  in  a  dangerous  predicament,  for  I 
had  entered  this  fort,  without  being  hindered 
by  the  guards  at  the  gate,  with  my  camera 
and  my  plates.  My  assistant  was  with  me 


THE    BLOWING    UP    OF   THE    MAINE.         \>j 

and  my  interpreter,  the  good  and  faithful 
Mike,  stood  by  me  as  a  brother  would.  He 
told  me  the  officer  was  going  to  send  a  squad 
of  men  round  to  arrest  me.  I  asked  him  why, 
and  he  replied  that,  from  what  he  could  make 
out  from  the  officer,  it  was  for  photograph- 
ing the  fort,  which  was  an  illegal  act,  pun- 
ishable in  Havana  with  imprisonment,  and 
perhaps  with  death. 

I  at  once  realized  my  peril,  and  saw  that 
there  was  little  chance  of  escape,  for  I  was 
conspicuously  clad  in  a  pair  of  linen  trousers 
and  a  blue  and  white  sweater.  However,  I 
ordered  my  man  to  move  off  in  double-quick 
time  with  the  camera  and  plates.  This  was 
comparatively  easy,  as  people  were  allowed 
to  enter  this  fort  and  go  down  to  the  water's 
edge  without  being  molested.  As  the  guard 
had  to  make  a  considerable  detour  of  .the 
fort  before  they  could  reach  me,  it  gave  my 
man  ample  time  to  escape,  which  he  did  suc- 
cessfully. 

When  the  guards  arrived  with  drawn 
machetes,  and  accused  me  of  having  photo- 
graphed the  fort,  I  asked  them  how  I  could 
photograph  the  fort  without  a  camera.  Their 


!g  CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 

actions  indicated  that  they  thought  I  had  a 
camera  in  my  pocket,  for  they  examined  me 
up  and  down,  and  seemed  much  surprised  at 
not  being  able  to  find  it.  I  told  them  that  I 
was  innocent,  and  Mike  assured  them  that 
I  was  simply  an  onlooker,  and  that  the  other 
man  had  done  it.  This  recalled  my  boyhood 
days,  when  we  used  always  to  blame  the  other 
fellow.  All  excuses  were  in  vain.  I  was 
marched  off  to  the  guardhouse  and  confront- 
ed with  the  captain  of  the  guard.  Mike  was 
not  allowed  to  accompany  me,  so  I  thought 
that  I  was  in  for  it;  and  so  I  was,  for  they 
conducted  me  to  a  dirty  cell  and  gave  me  sar- 
castic smiles,  which  led  me  to  think  I  was 
going  to  be  a  victim. 

In  the  meantime  my  man  had  gone  to  the 
American  consul  and  told  him  of  my  predica- 
ment. General  Lee  said  that  if  I  had  been 
so  indiscreet  as  to  photograph  the  forts,  he 
could  do  nothing  for  me.  When  Mike 
brought  me  this  news,  I  told  him  to  ask  the 
captain  of  the  guard  to  summon  the  sentry 
from  the  post  at  the  entrance  to  the  fort  and 
ask  him  if  he  saw  me  enter. 

Now,  as  luck  would  have  it,  this  sentry 


THE    BLOWING    UP   OF    THE    MAINE.         ig 

had  given  me  permission  to  pass  into  the 
fort.  As  I  was  not  carrying  my  camera,  nor 
had  anything  on  my  person  resembling  a 
camera,  he  certainly  would  have  no  evidence 
against  me.  This  sentry  proved  my  salvation. 
He  told  the  captain  of  the  guard  that  I  en- 
tered the  fort  without  a  camera  or  anything 
resembling  a  camera,  and  that  he  knew  me 
again  by  my  blue-and-white  jersey.  In  my 
heart  I  thanked  good  old  Columbia  College 
for  adopting  these  colours,  for  they  undoubt- 
edly saved  me  from  perhaps  a  long  imprison- 
ment. After  the  captain  had  consulted  with 
several  other  officers,  they  decided  that  there 
was  no  evidence  against  me,  and  let  me  go. 

By  this  time  the  Montgomery  was  right 
off  the  Morro.  As  soon  as  I  could  make  my 
way  outside  of  this  Fort  Punta,  I  looked 
round  for  my  camera,  and  to  my  great  de- 
light, skulking  behind  a  wall  which  protects 
the  street  from  the  bay,  I  saw  my  faithful  man 
Hughie.  There  he  was,  all  ready  to  shoot. 
Taking  advantage  of  the  circumstance  that 
the  guards  were  all  gazing  seaward  at  the 
saucy  Yankee  cruiser,  and  were  paying  no 
attention  to  me,  I  started  in  and  made  pic- 


20  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

tures  of  the  Montgomery.  Then  I  turned 
the  lens  which  never  lies  upon  this  great  and 
wonderful  fort,  which  at  best  is  but  an  anti- 
quated ruin.  I  took  this  photograph  just  for 
spite,  and  then  I  followed  the  Montgomery 
into  the  inner  bay,  where  we  were  hailed  with 
derisive  shouts,  rotten  onions,  decayed  pota- 
toes, and  putrid  fruit  of  every  kind.  Cries 
were  heard  from  the  warehouses  along  the 
water  front  that  they  had  already  sunk  one 
of  our  ships,  and  would  serve  the  Montgom- 
ery in  the  same  \vay. 

We  encountered  a  mob  at  Caberellos 
which  looked  rather  threatening,  but,  as  I 
wanted  to  follow  the  Montgomery  along  and 
get  good  views  of  her  as  she  entered  the  inner 
bay,  we  forced  ourselves  through  the  crowd, 
being  hustled  and  knocked  about  consider- 
ably. If  ever  I  felt  strong,  this  was  the  time; 
but  the  masses  were  against  me,  and  so  I  be- 
came pliant,  and  with  curved  back  and  bend- 
ing knee  wriggled  my  way  through  the  mob. 
This  rough  treatment  from  the  Spaniards 
lasted  during  our  walk  along  the  water  front. 
When  we  reached  the  Machina  (custom 
house)  a  great  crowd  had  assembled,  which 


THE    BLOWING    UP   OF    THE    MAINE.         2I 

was  hooting,  jeering,  and  calling  the  Mont- 
gomery all  kinds  of  abusive  names,  and  in- 
dicating by  pointing  to  the  wrecked  battle 
ship  the  fate  they  had  in  store  for  the 
cruiser. 

As  the  little  Montgomery  passed  close  by 
the  Spanish  men-of-war  Viscaya  and  Oquen- 
do,  the  mob  indulged  in  more  jeers,  pointing 
out  how  easy  it  would  be  for  the  two  great 
war  ships  to  annihilate  the  American  cockle- 
shell, whose  size  they  ridiculed.  The  Span- 
iards, as  I  learned  later,  have  a  vocabulary 
remarkably  rich  in  obscenity  and  profanity, 
and  I  believe  that  they  exhausted  it  on  the 
Montgomery.  Little  did  they  know  what 
sterling  stuff  Captain  Converse  and  his  men 
are  made  of!  If  they  had  been  fired  on,  the 
Montgomery  would  have  sunk  fighting,  and 
would  never  have  surrendered. 

At  this  point  we  took  a  boat  manned  by 
a  Spaniard,  Robustiano,  who  pulled  out  to 
the  Montgomery,  where  I  once  more  felt  at 
home,  and,  drawing  a  little  American  flag 
from  my  pocket,  I  stood  upright  in  the  boat 
and  waved  it  so  that  those  on  shore  could  see 
it  plainly,  and  those  on  the  cruiser  still  more 


22  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

so.  The  boys  on  the  Montgomery,  from  the 
apprentice  to  the  executive  officer,  were 
anxious  to  cheer  in  return;  but  "Silence!" 
was  ordered  from  the  quarter-deck,  and  not 
a  single  response  did  we  get.  They  did  not 
want  to  make  any  demonstration  whatever. 
This  I  was  told  afterward  when  I  boarded 
the  vessel.  Captain  Converse  and  his  men 
said  that  they  were  pleased  to  see  such  a 
show  of  patriotism,  but  could  not  answer  by 
cheering  at  that  moment. 

After  making  some  good  pictures  of  the 
Montgomery  saluting  the  forts  and  the  com- 
mandant, we  stayed  by  her  to  see  the  officers 
exchange  official  courtesies,  and  became  wit- 
nesses of  the  following  incident:  The  Span- 
ish admiral  visited  the  Montgomery,  and 
while  on  the  deck  of  the  vessel  displayed  all 
that  oily  suavity  characteristic  of  his  race. 
When  leaving  the  vessel,  and  while  still  on 
her  gangway  at  the  starboard  side,  just  before 
entering  his  barge,  he  stopped,  drew  out 
paper  and  tobacco,  rolled  and  lighted  a  cigar- 
ette, and  began  smoking  on  the  gangway  of 
the  Montgomery,  throwing  the  small  frag- 
ments of  tobacco  on  the  steps.  This  was  an 


THE   BLOWING   UP   OF   THE    MAINE.        23 

unpardonable  breach  of  naval  etiquette.  An 
orderly  was  sent  to  go  down  and  clean  these 
specks  off  the  gangway,  which  he  did  with 
much  humorous  officiousness. 

That  night  \vas  an  uneasy  one  for  the  boys 
of  the  Montgomery.  Most  of  them  slept  on 
deck.'  In  fact,  the  decks  and  the  boats  were 
crowded  with  men,  who  did  not  mean  to  go 
down  with  the  Montgomery  as  their  fellow- 
tars  had  with  the  Maine.  Eternal  vigilance 
was  kept  on  everything,  and  nothing  was  al- 
lowed to  approach  the  vessel  without  being 
hailed.  This  was  hard  for  the  men,  who 
would  have  much  preferred  fighting  a  bold 
and  open  foe  to  guarding  against  a  possible 
treacherous  attack  such  as  destroyed  the 
Maine. 

In  going  to  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  to 
make  photographs,  I  found  her  in  a  terrible 
condition.  Spanish  divers  were  at  work  on 
one  end,  and  American  divers  on  the  other. 
Slowly  the  work  proceeded.  Bodies  were 
being  recovered,  and  scenes  in  themselves 
heartbreaking  and  distressing  were  occurring 
every  hour.  This  did  not  seem  to  affect  the 
Spaniards  in  the  least. 


24  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

While  the  clivers  were  busy  one  afternoon 
hoisting  up  a  six-inch  gun,  one  of  them  re- 
ported that  the  body  of  an  officer  was  in  the 
forward  torpedo  room.  It  was  recovered  a 
little  later.  The  features  were  all  but  unrec- 
ognisable, but  it  was  identified  as  being  that 
of  Lieutenant  Jenkins.  I  was  on  the  wreck 
when  it  was  recovered,  and  was  so  much  af- 
fected that  I  had  not  the  heart  to  photograph 
it,  for,  as  I  remarked  in  the  opening  of  this 
chapter,  he  was  a  dear  friend  of  mine,  a  gal- 
lant officer,  and  popular  with  his  shipmates. 

One  day  at  a  cheap  restaurant  in  the  Plaza 
de  Lux  they  had  on  their  bill  of  fare  "  chick- 
en fricassee  a  la  Maine  " — in  fact,  no  oppor- 
tunity was  allowed  to  escape  by  which  they 
could  show  their  contempt  for  the  intrusion 
of  the  Americans. 

About  this  time  the  board  of  inquiry  ar- 
rived at  Havana;  they  were  there  to  secure 
evidence  from  the  divers  and  survivors  of  the 
wreck.  I  secured  a  very  good  photograph  of 
one  of  the  sessions  of  the  board,  consisting 
of  Admiral  Sampson,  Captain  Chadwick, 
Commander  Potter,  and  Lieutenant-Com- 
mander Marix,  with  Ensign  Powelson  on  the 


05       -O 
C        v 


THE   BLOWING   UP   OF   THE    MAINE.         25 

witness  stand.  At  the  request  of  Captain 
Sigsbee  and  the  judge  advocate,  Adolph  Ma- 
rix,  I  made  several  photographs  of  the  pieces 
of  plates  that  had  been  torn  by  the  force 
of  the  explosion  from  the  forward  part  of  the 
Maine.  I  did  not  know  at  the  time  I  made 
them  how  important  these  pictures  were,  but 
when  the  report  of  the  board  went  to  Con- 
gress these  photographs,  which  had  been  put 
in  evidence,  were  conclusive  beyond  a  doubt 
that  the  Maine  had  been  wrecked  from  an 
external  source,  and  that  source  a  Spanish 
mine.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  my  lens 
played  a  significant  part  in  fixing  the  respon- 
sibility. It  seems  to  me  that  the  day  is  not 
far  distant  when  those  who  plotted  and  exe- 
cuted this  dastardly  deed  will  be  brought 
face  to  face  with  justice.  A  crime  so  stu- 
pendous can  not  remain  forever  unrevealed. 

Father  Chidwick,  chaplain  of  the  Maine, 
could  be  seen  flitting  hither  and  thither,  now 
on  the  shore  and  now  afloat,  caring  for  the 
bodies  recovered  from  the  wreck,  placing 
them  in  their  coffins,  taking  notes  of  all  marks 
of  identification  on  each  victim,  as  well  as 
those  on  their  clothing,  so  that  all  means  pos- 


26  CANNON    AND    CAMERA. 

sible  for  identification  would  be  had.  Many 
of  the  bodies  were  brought  ashore  and  re- 
ceived an  impressive  burial.  The  Fire  De- 
partment of  Havana  turned  out  and  joined  in 
the  mournful  procession,  the  reconcentrados 
contributed  their  numbers  to  increase  the 
pageant,  and  many  wreaths  were  brought  and 
placed  upon  the  biers  of  the  victims,  whose 
remains  were  taken  to  Colon  Cemetery  and 
laid  to  rest  there  with  due  naval  honours  and 
solemn  religious  rites.  These  men,  although 
in  a  foreign  country,  repose  in  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  cemeteries  in  existence  any- 
where. Stately  palms  and  other  magnificent 
trees  branch  out  with  tropical  luxuriance,  and 
fill  the  spaces  not  occupied  by  handsome 
monuments.  The  grave  of  Holzer,  the  hero, 
stands  out  distinct  and  conspicuous.  On  this 
grave,  which  I  photographed,  I  placed  the 
Stars  and  Stripes. 

Holzer  was  Father  Chidwick's  indefati- 
gable and  zealous  assistant.  In  the  explosion 
his  hands  were  severely  lacerated.  When  he 
was  dying  in  the  hospital,  Captain  Sigsbee 
said  a  few  cheering  words  to  him  and  held 
out  his  hand. 


£ 

."2 
15 
U 
c 
'rf 
"a, 
rt 
£9 

u 


THE    BLOWING    UP   OF    THE    MAINE.         2? 

"  I  can't  shake  hands  with  you,  Captain 
Sigsbee,"  he  said;  "my  hand  is  not  in  con- 
dition, sir." 

"  Ah,  my  lad,"  said  the  captain,  "  you 
shipped  in  the  wrong  ship  when  you  chose 
the  Maine." 

"  No,  sir!  no,  sir!  it  was  the  right  ship.  I 
have  nothing  to  regret." 

He  died  soon  after. 

At  this  cemetery  a  Cuban  is  employed  as 
grave-digger  and  general  attendant.  Scarce- 
ly a  day  passed  that  this  sympathetic  patriot 
did  not  bring  flowers  of  some  kind  wherewith 
to  beautify  the  graves  of  our  sailors. 

March  4,  1898,  was  a  day  set  apart  by  the 
American  tourists  and  newspaper  correspond- 
ents then  in  Havana  as  a  day  of  decoration, 
to  be  observed  as  an  anniversary  by  Ameri- 
cans in  the  Cuban  capital.  This,  no  doubt, 
as  things  have  happened,  will  always  be  a 
memorable  day. 

Sunday  in  Havana  is  devoted  to  jollity  and 
recreation:  bullfights  are  carried  on,  and  the 
theatres  are  wide  open.  While  on  the  ferry- 
boat during  one  of  its  trips  to  Regla,  the 
scene  of  the  bullfights,  the  few  Americans 


2g  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

scattered  among  the  many  Spaniards  could 
not  fail  to  realize  the  undercurrent  of  ill  feel- 
ing. I  was  one  of  the  party  on  a  (to  me) 
memorable  Sunday  bound  to  the  bullfight 
with  the  intention  of  making  photographs.  I 
had  applied  to  the  management  for  leave. 
The  manager  very  gladly  granted  permission, 
and  told  me  that  he  would  do  all  he  could  to 
help  me  in  my  purpose.  * 

When  the  bullfight  began,  the  goaded 
bull  was  turned  loose  into  the  ring,  and  I  felt 
somewhat  nervous.  I  have  photographed  al- 
most everything  from  a  dogfight  to  a  funeral, 
but  never  had  I  been  so  highly  strung  and 
impatient  as  I  was  on  this  occasion.  Know- 
ing that  I  was  among  enemies,  I  tried  by  force 
of  will  to  assure  myself  that  I  was  safe. 

The  position  I  had  secured  was  favour- 
able in  all  but  one  particular,  which  was  that 
the  bull  was  all  the  time  in  the  shade,  instead 
of  in  the  sun.  To  overcome  this  it  would  be 
necessary  for  me  to  get  into  the  ring;  but  I 
was  told  by  the  manager  that  he  was  liable 
to  a  fine  if  a  private  individual  entered  the 
ring  during  the  fight.  I  waited  my  oppor- 
tunity by  the  low  fence  which  encircled  the 


3 
j5 
O 
c 
"?. 
"E 
ed 

U 


THE    BLOWING    UP   OF   THE    MAINE.         29 

ring,  and,  just  as  the  matador  was  about  to 
give  the  bull  the  final  sword  thrust,  I  leaped 
the  fence,  and  before  any  one  was  aware  of 
it  had  a  splendid  picture.  This  caught  the 
crowd.  Spaniards  and  Cubans,  Americans 
and  Englishmen — in  fact,  the  entire  audience 
— roared  with  laughter  and  gave  me  a  hearty 
cheer.  I  was  censured  by  the  management 
and  threatened  with  a  heavy  fine.  My  re- 
sponse was  that  the  negative  was  worth  it, 
and  that  if  they  wanted  some  good  pictures 
I  should  be  pleased  to  let  them  have  them. 
That  settled  it,  everything  was  lovely,  and 
the  game  proceeded.  In  the  judgment  of 
experts  who  have  taken  part  in  these  bull- 
fights, the  pictures  I  secured  that  Sun- 
day were  among  the  best  ever  made.  Re- 
turning from  the  bullfight,  I  had  ceased 
to  be  looked  on  as  an  enemy,  and  was 
quite  a  hero  on  the  boat  all  the  way  to 
Havana. 

That  evening  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meet- 
ing one  of  Spain's  greatest  generals.  Father 
Chidwick  and  I  were  invited  through  some 
Spanish  friends  to  dine  with  General  Arrolas 
at  the  house  of  Senor  Gonzales,  the  owner 


30  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

of  a  large  tobacco  warehouse.  His  family 
is  among  the  most  influential  in  Havana  so- 
ciety, and  it  contains  a  charming  young  lady 
in  the  person  of  Senorita  Gonzales.  General 
Arrolas  is  engaged  to  this  beautiful  girl,  and 
it  was  rather  amusing  to  see  the  old  warrior 
enjoying  Father  Chidwick's  quaint  stories 
and  my  own  costermonger  songs  through  the 
medium  of  this  charming  interpreter.  It  was 
evident  from  the  conversation  I  had  with  the 
general  that  while  he  was  not  greatly  em- 
bittered against  the  Americans,  yet  he  con- 
sidered it  his  duty  to  stand  up  for  the  glory 
of  Spain.  I  am  indebted  to  Seiiores  Gon- 
zales and  Gadalia  for  much  information  con- 
cerning Cuba. 

When  Senator  Proctor  arrived  in  Havana 
to  make  his  historic  investigation  of  the  con- 
dition of  the  reconcentrados,  it  was  my  privi- 
lege to  accompany  him.  I  saw  all  the  hor- 
rors that  existed  in  the  hospitals  and  among 
the  reconcentrados  of  which  Senator  Proctor 
gave  a  graphic  report  to  Congress.  I  went 
with  him  to  Matanzas,  Pinar  del  Rio,  and 
other  points  in  the  interior,  and  witnessed  the 
destitution  of  the  oppressed  Cubans  and  some 


THE    BLOWING    UP   OF    THE    MAINE.         3! 

terrible  instances  of  sickness  and  starvation 
in  the  hospitals. 

The  regular  Spanish  soldiers  stationed  in 
Cuba  have  no  sympathy  for  these  poor  crea- 
tures. They  gratify  their  unbridled  passions 
on  the  women  and  treat  the  men  with  bar- 
baric cruelty.  It  was  my  unpleasant  duty 
while  visiting  these  places  to  witness  unspeak- 
able scenes  of  rapine  committed  by  these 
armed  licentious  ruffians.  In  one  little  mud 
hut  covered  with  palms  there  were  living  two 
families,  each  minus  the  male  head  of  the 
household,  who  had  either  been  killed  in  war- 
fare or  in  some  private  way  in  order  that  the 
female  occupants  of  the  wretched  tenement 
might  be  easier  victims.  I  saw  very  young 
girls  in  a  condition  indicating  the  near  ap- 
proach of  maternity.  These  poor  creatures 
were  living  in  absolute  want  from  day  to  day, 
while  the  vile  soldiers  who  had  ruined  them 
paid  no  heed  to  their  cries  for  food.  Let  me 
drawr  the  curtain  on  these  horrors,  which  cried 
to  Heaven  for  righteous  vengeance  and  have 
been  righteously  avenged. 

In  visiting  the  camps,  and  especially  the 
camp  at  Montserate,  I  had  an  opportunity  to 


32  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

investigate  the  regular  soldier  and  his  con- 
dition. Being  an  old  national  guardsman, 
I  knew  something  of  military  tactics,  and  was 
competent  to  form  an  opinion.  In  approach- 
ing this  camp,  where  we  were  entire  stran- 
gers, we  had  no  difficulty  whatever  in  enter- 
ing. When  I  wanted  to  make  a  picture  of 
one  of  the  sentries  charging  and  challenging 
an  intruder,  I  had  to  take  the  piece  from  him 
and  show  him  how  to  do  it.  Just  fancy  a 
man  wearing  the  uniform  of  Uncle  Sam  al- 
lowing any  one  to  take  his  rifle  from  him 
while  on  his  post! 

These  soldiers  are  ignorant  beyond  con- 
ception. They  are  of  frail  and  puny  physique, 
induced  by  insufficient  rations,  and  the  mor- 
tality among  them  is  large.  Some  of  them 
had  nearly  a  year's  pay  due  them.  Dirty,  un- 
kempt, and  ragged,  they  were  a  disgrace  to  a 
so-called  civilized  nation.  They  were  simply 
eking  out  a  miserable  existence.  This  I  found 
to  be  the  rule  wherever  I  went. 

Returning  to  Havana  from  Matanzas,  a 
distance  of  about  sixty  miles,  by  means  of 
the  one-horse  railroad  running  between  there 
and  Havana,  an  extra  car  was  put  on  for  the 


A  narrow  escape. 


The  final  thrust. 


THE    BLOWING    UP    OF    THE    MAINE. 


33 


special  armed  guard  accompanying  the  train. 
This  guard  is  composed  of  a  company  of 
Spanish  regulars.  It  is  not  often  that  they 
have  a  chance  to  distinguish  themselves — 
more's  the  pity,  for  there  would  be  fewer  of 
them!  They  are  thorough  cowards,  to  say 
the  least.  On  the  night  when  we  came  in,  at 
a  point  on  the  road  eighteen  miles  from  Ha- 
vana, we  were  suddenly  fired  upon  by  a  band 
of  insurgents.  It  was  amusing  to  see  these 
Spanish  soldiers  drop  to  the  bottom  of  the 
car  and  never  return  a  shot,  although  the  car 
was  protected  with  sheet-iron  casing,  sup- 
posed to  be  bullet  proof,  and  there  were  loop- 
holes through  which  they  could  fire.  The 
passengers  in  the  train  were  quite  excited, 
but  it  was  not  until  one  Englishman,  a  little 
more  inquisitive  than  the  others,  exposed 
himself  to  see  what  was  going  on,  and  found 
himself  wounded,  that  we  realized  our  dan- 
ger. No  protection  at  all  did  we  get  from 
these  brave  soldiers  of  proud  Spain,  who  cow- 
ered and  grovelled  on  the  floor  of  the  car. 

At  this  time  the  town  of  Matanzas  could 
have  been  token  by  five  hundred  of  our  New 
York  volunteers  without  any  trouble,  while 

5 


34  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

any  single  regiment,  with  the  help  of  a  couple 
of  good  second-rate  cruisers,  could  just  as 
easily  have  routed  Blanco  from  Havana.  I 
make  this  statement  advisedly,  and  will  abide 
by  it. 

The  guard  mount  and  parade  in  front  of 
the  Hotel  Pasaje  every  morning  were  spec- 
tacles worthy  of  opera  boufTe.  The  raw  re- 
cruits recently  arrived  from  Spain  were  turned 
out  in  this  guard,  and  I  thus  had  a  capital 
opportunity  to  examine  them.  They  were 
lean,  hungry,  and  footsore,  and  they  marched 
with  no  military  precision.  They  were  not 
put  through  any  tactics  whatever,  but  sim- 
ply mustered,  while  the  band  played  martial 
music  and  Spanish  fandangoes,  all  of  the  sol- 
diers smoking  foul-smelling  licorice  cigar- 
ettes, whiling  away  an  hour  or  two,  and  imag- 
ining that  it  was  glory.  After  this  they 
marched  in  front  of  the  palace  and  went  on 
their  tour  of  duty,  which  consisted  in  enter- 
ing the  many  warehouses  along  the  streets 
and  loafing  on  boxes  or  anything  else  con- 
venient for  the  remainder  of  the  twenty-four 
hours. 

During  my  stay  in  Havana  I  made  many 


THE    BLOWING    UP   OF    THE    MAINE. 


35 


photographs  under  difficult  and  trying  cir- 
cumstances, at  one  time  ashore,  surrounded 
by  a  crowd  of  scoffing  Spaniards,  at  another 
on  the  water,  perched  in  the  fighting  top  of 
the  Maine,  cheered  by  the  boys  of  Uncle 
Sam's  navy.  Making  photographs  in  a  trop- 
ical climate  is  trying  indeed.  I  found  the  heat 
and  other  difficulties  great  bars  to  successful 
achievement.  In  the  early  hours  of  the  morn- 
ing the  light  is  beautiful,  all  one  could  wish 
for,  but  when  it  comes  to  dark-room  work 
obstacles  in  plenty  confront  you.  A  good 
supply  of  ice  is  absolutely  necessary,  provided 
you  wish  to  have  some  film  remaining  on 
your  plates  after  development.  But,  in  spite 
of  all  climatic  impediments,  the  effects  which 
can  be  obtained  in  the  picturesque  purlieus 
and  unclean  streets  of  Havana  are  varied  and 
interesting.  The  types  of  character,  from  the 
mule  driver  to  the  lady  in  white,  become  more 
fascinating  the  longer  one  remains  among 
them. 

It  was  quite  a  relief  to  visit  the  office  of 
the  American  consul  general,  there  to  meet 
his  smiling  countenance  and  jovial  salutation: 
"  How  do  you  do,  captain?  What  can  I  do 


36  CANNON    AND    CAMERA. 

for  you  to-day?  "  General  Fitzhugh  Lee  was 
always  ready  with  some  information  that  was 
newsy,  bright,  or  important. 

The  custom-house  officials  were  ever  on 
the  alert  for  something  to  turn  up.  I  shall 
long  remember  my  departure  from  Havana. 
During  my  stay  there  reports  reached  us  from 
time  to  time  concerning  the  critical  state  of 
the  relations  between  the  United  States  and 
Spain.  The  officials  were  becoming  more  and 
more  alert  daily;  spies  of  every  description 
loomed  up  in  unexpected  quarters.  The  mob 
grew  still  more  prodigal  of  their  insults. 

I  observed  one  day  that  I  was  being 
watched  with  more  than  usual  care  and  at- 
tention, and  was  told  that  I  was  suspected 
of  having  made  photographs  of  the  fortifica- 
tions and  other  points  of  stategic  importance 
to  the  United  States  Government.  When  the 
report  of  the  board  of  inquiry  was  ready,  and 
it  was  settled  beyond  a  doubt  that  it  was  im- 
possible to  raise  the  wreck  of  the  Maine,  I 
decided  that  my  mission,  so  far  as  Havana 
was  concerned,  was  ended.  I  realized  that 
war  between  the  two  countries  was  inevita- 
ble, and  so  prepared  for  an  early  departure. 


THE    BLOWING    UP   OF    THE    MAINE. 


37 


The  same  box  and  the  same  cases  in  which 
I  brought  in  my  photographic  material  did 
service  for  the  homeward  journey. 

When  all  my  baggage  was  ready  to  be  put 
aboard  the  steamer,  I  went  to  the  custom 
house,  through  which  everything  coming  in 
and  going  out  must  pass,  and  was  told  that 
I  must  unpack  my  cases  so  that  their  con- 
tents could  be  examined.  This  would  have 
been  disastrous  for  me,  for  had  I  not  taken 
photographs  of  all  the  forts  and  fortifications 
that  were  in  and  around  Havana  and  Matan- 
zas?  I  had  everything  that  would  be  of  value 
to  an  invading  force.  However,  I  soon  found 
a  way  out  of  this  difficulty.  I  knew  that  the 
custom-house  officers  at  Havana  were  be- 
hind in  their  salaries  for  some  months,  and 
thought  it  possible  to  secure  a  complaisant 
grandee  willing  to  salve  his  conscience  with 
the  ointment  used  by  Shakespeare's  apothe- 
cary. Doubtless  to  his  father  confessor  he 
mumbled  something  about  his  poverty  and 
not  his  will  consenting,  provided  always  that 
his  better  nature  had  not  been  stifled  into  in- 
sensibility by  custom.  After  anointing  this 
official's  palm,  my  load  of  goods  moved  off 


38  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

with  magical  promptitude.     My  effects  were 
then  transported  to  the  Yucatan. 

Once  on  board  that  stout  steamer,  I 
thought  myself  safe;  but,  to  my  disgust,  with- 
in half  an  hour  of  sailing  time  a  custom-house 
officer,  accompanied  by  a  policeman,  boarded 
the  vessel  and  demanded  that  my  effects — 
plates,  cameras,  and  all — be  taken  back  to  the 
custom  house.  I  remonstrated,  urging  that 
my  baggage  and  effects  had  already  been  ex- 
amined and  passed  by  one  customs  officer. 
All  expostulation  was  of  no  avail.  The  cap- 
tain of  the  Yucatan  said  that  I  should  have 
to  comply  with  their  orders,  so  back  I  went, 
sad  at  heart,  not  knowing  what  the  end  might 
be.  Arrived  at  the  wharf,  we  were  met  by  a 
pompous  personage,  who  demanded  my  rea- 
son for  taking  my  effects  on  board  the  Yuca- 
tan before  he  had  examined  them.  I  told 
him  they  had  been  passed  by  one  of  his  offi- 
cers (this  officer  was  then  nowhere  to  be 
seen),  and  as  I  had  no  time  to  lose,  the  vessel 
being  on  the  point  of  sailing,  I  tried  the  same 
stratagem  on  this  official  that  I  had  practised 
on  the  other.  This  was  just  what  he  wanted. 
After  his  "  palm  had  been  greased,"  he  be- 


i 


Making  photographs  from  the  fighting  top  of  the  Maine. 


THE    BLOWING    UP   OF    THE    MAINE. 


39 


came  as  urbane  as  only  a  Spaniard  can.  Fear- 
ing there  might  be  others  of  equal  rapacity, 
I  hurried  back  on  board  ship  with  my  effects 
untouched.  When  I  got  them  on  deck,  the 
Yucatan  weighed  anchor  and  steamed  out  of 
the  bay. 

In  passing  the  Viscaya  and  Oquendo,  both 
of  which  were  swinging  leisurely  in  the  dirty 
waters  of  Havana  harbour,  I  took  from  my 
pocket  the  same  little  flag  that  I  had  waved 
so  proudly  on  the  arrival  of  the  Montgomery, 
and  flaunted  it  in  full  sight  of  the  officers  and 
men  on  the  quarter-decks  of  these  two  mag- 
nificent vessels,  and  said  to  myself,  "  I  hope 
some  day  to  see  you  in  as  bad  a  predicament 
as  we  now  see  the  Maine!  " 

My  hope  has  been  more  than  realized, 
for  not  only  did  I  see  these  two  vessels,  but 
also  the  remainder  of  Cervera's  proud  fleet 
destroyed  off  Santiago  on  July  3d  by  the 
American  war  ships  under  command  of  Ad- 
miral Sampson. 


CHAPTER    II. 

SOLDIERS    IN    CAMP. 

Scenes  at  Hempstead — Effects  of  red  tape — Drilling  volun- 
teers— Unsanitary  conditions  in  camps  North  and  South 
— Red  tape  and  transportation. 

MY  trip  from  Havana  on  the  Yucatan 
was  without  incident.  We  had  with  us  a 
great  many  Cuban  families  who  were  fleeing 
from  Havana,  anticipating  troubles  to  come. 
When  we  arrived  at  quarantine,  in  New 
York  harbour,  we  were  placed  under  the  re- 
strictions of  the  five-day  rule,  and  had  to 
report  to  the  board  of  health  to  get  our  re- 
lease. During  all  this  time  things  were 
growing  warmer  and  warmer  down  South. 
Reports  were  freely  and  frequently  circu- 
lated that  General  Lee  had  been  assassinated, 
and  that  in  disturbances  created  by  the 
mob  element  among  the  Spanish  volunteers 
American  residents  had  suffered. 

I  have  already  described  the  unruly  ele- 
40 


O, 

£ 

c8 

U 


SOLDIERS    IN   CAMP.  4I 

ment  of  the  Spanish  volunteers,  and  shown 
their  hostility  to  the  United  States.  Had 
they  revenged  themselves  on  General  Lee,  I 
should  not  have  been  surprised  in  the  least. 
Those  capable  of  blowing  up  the  Maine 
would  think  nothing  of  killing  a  consul.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  the  general's  life  was  in  con- 
stant peril  as  long  as  he  remained  in  Ha- 
vana. His  friends  were  disturbed  in  their 
minds  until  he  had  orders  to  quit.  When 
General  Lee  and  his  party  left  Havana,  a 
great  many  Americans  and  Cubans  took  their 
departure  with  him.  Soon  after  this  war 
was  declared. 

In  the  meantime  Uncle  Sam  had  been 
making  ready  to  meet  the  Spaniards.  Camps 
were  being  established  all  over  the  country 
— at  Hempstead,  Long  Island,  Peekskill, 
Chickamauga,  Tampa,  Washington,  Key 
West,  and  other  places.  The  call  by  the 
President  for  volunteers  was  answered  with 
remarkable  alacrity.  Our  young  patriots 
responded  nobly.  It  was  their  first  oppor- 
tunity to  show  the  stuff  they  were  made  of, 
and  right  good  stuff  it  was. 

The  first  camp  I  visited  was  Camp  Black, 


42 


CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 


at  Hempstead,  Long  Island.  Here  the  vol- 
unteer regiments  of  New  York  State  were 
being  assembled  preparatory  to  being  shipped 
to  the  seat  of  war.  This  is  where  the  Sev- 
enty-first, that  gallant  regiment,  was  first 
sent.  Company  H  was  sent  down  to  organ- 
ize the  camp  and  put  it  into  some  kind  of 
condition.  They  worked  with  the  same 
might  and  will  which  they  showed  at  San 
Juan,  and  before  they  were  there  long  they 
had  a  white-capped  city  of  large  and  splendid 
proportions  ready  to  receive  the  volunteers. 
Their  troubles,  however,  had  not  yet  com- 
menced. 

Soon  after  their  arrival  the  terrible  wet 
weather  set  in,  equal  in  intensity  to  the 
Cuban  rainy  season.  Rainstorms  and  high 
winds  deluged  and  blew  down  tents  as  fast 
as  they  were  put  up.  Night  after  night 
men  were  compelled  to  sleep  on  the  wet 
ground  in  pools  of  water.  This  was  but  the 
first  instance  of  criminal  inefficiency  so  pro- 
lific of  mournful  results  later  on  in  the  cam- 
paign. Cots  were  at  a  premium,  and  straw 
— even  straw  so  cheap  and  so  plentiful 
everywhere — could  not  be  had.  The  cause 


SOLDIERS   IN   CAMP.  43 

I  know  not.  What  I  know  is  that  men 
slept  or  tried  to  sleep  all  the  time  they 
were  in  that  camp  with  nothing  in  the  way 
of  bedding  between  them  and  the  wet  earth 
but  their  overcoats.  Fever  of  the  light 
malarial  kind  soon  made  itself  manifest. 
Young  men  accustomed  to  the  luxuries  or 
comforts  of  life  for  the  first  time  in  their 
existence  were  confronted  with  actual  hard- 
ships, the  most  harmful  of  which  was  sleep- 
ing in  mud  puddles.  They  were  ready  and 
willing  to  make  any  sacrifices  demanded  by 
their  country,  and  I  was  much  impressed  by 
their  cheerful  spirit,  which  rose  exultant  over 
all  minor  depressing  circumstances.  At  this 
early  stage  of  the  campaign  these  generous 
souls  were  victims  of  departmental  red  tape 
and  carpet-bagging  corruption  which  were  a 
disgrace  to  the  Empire  State.  Our  official 
incompetence  has  been  duly  exploited  in  our 
leading  daily  newspapers,  not  being  one  whit 
exaggerated,  and  the  grim  results  now  rankle 
in  our  hearts.  Is  the  game  worth  the  candle? 
Will  this  fearful  lesson  of  inefficiency,  un- 
paralleled since  the  Crimean  War,  teach  the 
nation  to  do  better  in  future?  Will  our 


44 


CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 


young  men,  with  the  experience  of  the  Cuban 
campaign  so  fresh  in  their  minds,  respond 
with  the  same  cheerful  alacrity  to  a  new  call 
for  volunteers  as  did  their  brethren  to  the 
patriotic  missive  of  President  McKinley? 
Let  us  hope  they  will. 

Among  the  regiments  at  Camp  Black 
were  the  Seventy-first,  Fourteenth,  Forty- 
seventh,  Sixty-ninth,  a  provisional  regiment, 
and  cavalry  troops  A  and  C,  which  in  all  rep- 
resented, I  should  estimate,  a  total  of  five 
thousand  men,  all  at  this  time  under  the 
command  of  General  Roe.  It  must  be  re- 
membered that  these  young  and  willing  citi- 
zens had  been  taken  from  comfortable  homes 
to  face  inevitable  hardships  and  perhaps 
death.  The  paltry  sum  received  from  the 
Government  for  their  service  was  certainly 
no  inducement.  In  the  various  callings  of 
civil  life  the  emoluments  are  far  larger,  while 
the  army  ration  had  no  attraction  to  the  man 
accustomed  to  a  square  meal  once  a  day. 
Men  were  detailed  from  the  different  com- 
panies in  camp  to  aid  in  the  preparation  of 
the  food  at  the  quartermaster's  department. 
During  their  stay  in  camp  the  food  was  of 


SOLDIERS   IN    CAMP.  45 

a  fair  quality — corned  beef  and  cabbage, 
fresh  beef  several  times  a  week,  with  good 
fresh  bread  and  plenty  of  potatoes — plain 
food,  but  wholesome,  suitable  for  men  in 
robust  health.  But  even  thus  early  in  the 
campaign  the  sick  suffered  cruel  privations, 
while  those  in  good  health  endured  much  dis- 
comfort from  the  lack  of  necessary  clothing. 
In  the  first  place,  no  man  should  have  been 
called  upon  to  suffer  the  hardships  of  camp 
life  during  the  detestably  wet  weather  which 
prevailed  all  the  time  they  were  there.  This 
is  especially  true  with  regard  to  New  York 
city,  which  is  the  proud  possessor  of  so  many 
costly  armories — more  than  sufficient  to  ac- 
commodate all  the  regiments  which  were 
actually  to  serve  as  New  York's  quota.  In 
these  armories  the  men  could  have  been  in 
touch  with  their  homes,  and  could  have  been 
better  prepared  for  work  in  the  field  than  at 
an  obscure  point  on  the  line  of  the  most 
decrepit  of  modern  railroads.  Take,  for 
instance,  the  Forty-seventh  Regiment  of 
Brooklyn.  This  regiment  was  hauled  off  to 
the  plains  of  Hempstead  before  its  rolls  were 
complete.  There  they  waited  in  weeks  of 


46  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

wet  weather  before  they  had  their  ranks  filled 
out,  all  the  time  suffering  unaccustomed 
hardships. 

Why  could  not  the  authorities  have 
withdrawn  these  men  from  the  camp  in 
Hempstead,  and  thereby  rectified  the  error 
of  judgment  which  sent  them  there,  particu- 
larly when  the  movement  would  have  been 
attended  with  less  expense,  and  drills  could 
have  been  had  in  the  armories  which  the 
weather  prevented  at  Hempstead?  It  is  sig- 
nificant that  regiments  leaving  this  camp 
were  sent  away  with  half  the  men  having 
no  uniforms  or  supplies. 

Hempstead  Plains  was  an  ideal  location 
for  a  camp,  being  on  sandy  soil,  which  ab- 
sorbs the  rain  freely.  Many  of  our  society 
leaders  who  went  to  serve  their  country 
with  the  Rough  Riders  have  hunted  over  this 
ground,  and  otherwise  used  it  in  exciting 
sports.  This  piece  of  country  was  now  con- 
verted into  a  white  city,  and  in  decent 
weather  with  proper  management  it  would 
have  proved  as  good  a  spot  for  a  camp  as  the 
world  could  afford. 

After  arrival  in  camp,  the  raw  recruit  was 


m 


SOLDIERS    IN    CAMP.  47 

put  through  the  A  B  C  of  military  tactics. 
First  of  all,  he  was  placed  in  the  awkward 
squad,  where  a  corporal  took  him  in  hand  and 
showed  him  the  distinction  between  right 
and  left  and  front  and  rear.  There  he  was 
taught  the  rudiments  of  soldier  life.  After 
undergoing  this  preliminary  licking  into 
shape,  he  was  placed  in  his  company  and  pro- 
vided with  a  rifle  and  his  uniform,  if  obtain- 
able. It  is  difficult,  as  a  rule,  for  the  average 
man  to  come  down  to  the  hard  discipline 
of  camp  life. 

The  camp  at  Hempstead  was  conducted 
on  a  war  basis.  This  was  capital  work  for 
the  men,  as  it  taught  them  what  they  would 
have  to  encounter  in  actual  warfare.  In 
walking  down  the  company  streets,  you 
met  the  strong  and  robust  fellow,  the  idol 
of  his  company,  with  stripes  on  his  arm,  won 
by  hard  work.  Next  to  him  you  fell  in 
with  one  not  less  enthusiastic,  but  less  vig- 
orous—a slender,  pale-faced  young  man  per- 
haps from  an  office.  These  types,  so  differ- 
ent, did  equally  gallant  work  for  Uncle  Sam. 
The  lithe  and  the  wiry  often  came  through 
the  campaign  unscathed,  while  his  "  bunkie  " 


48  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

with  the  robust  physique  succumbed  to  dis- 
ease. The  lithe  and  wiry  may  be  classified  as 
Woodbury  Kane,  the  gentleman  cross-coun- 
try rider  and  polo  player,  Larned  and  Wrenn, 
the  tennis  experts  and  polo  men.  Sergeant 
Goff  and  Private  Cheevers,  of  the  Seventy- 
first,  were  instances  in  the  contrary  direction. 
Among  the  regiments  of  our  National 
Guard  were  some  of  the  finest  marksmen  that 
ever  held  a  piece.  They  distinguished  them- 
selves as  sharpshooters  in  the  lines  before 
Santiago.  They  were  \vorthy  of  the  splendid 
records  made  in  their  armories  and  at  Creed- 
moor.  Among  my  many  friends  who  suc- 
cumbed to  the  gross  and  criminal  incompe- 
tence which  characterized  the  conduct  of  this 
campaign  was  one  especially  dear  to  me.  He 
was  in  the  National  Guard  with  me.  We 
were  in  different  regiments,  but  each  thought 
his  regiment  the  best.  We  met  on  the  rifle 
range  at  Creedmoor,  where  we  first  smelt 
Uncle  Sam's  powder  and  indulged  in  whole- 
some rivalry,  developing  our  manhood,  thanks 
to  the  untiring  efforts  of  General  Wingate. 
This  fello\v-soldier  was  known  all  over  the 
United  States — in  fact,  all  over  the  world.  He 


SOLDIERS    IN    CAMP.  49 

excelled  in  different  branches  of  amateur  ath- 
letics, winding  up  as  all-round  champion  of 
the  United  States.  It  was  a  pleasure  to  gaze 
upon  this  man,  practically  faultless  in  phy- 
sique. He  could  have  posed  as  a  model  for 
statuesque  strength.  His  enthusiasm  for 
athletics  was  second  only  to  his  zeal  as  a  citi- 
zen soldier.  His  ambition  led  to  his  speedy 
advancement.  He  rose  from  private  to  cor- 
poral, from  corporal  to  sergeant,  and  when 
the  call  came  for  volunteers  to  go  to  the 
front,  his  regiment  not  being  one  of  those 
selected  by  the  Governor  of  New  York  to 
make  up  the  quota  on  the  first  summons  to 
arms,  he  enlisted  in  the  Seventy-first,  which 
formed  part  of  the  Fifth  Army  Corps,  and 
invaded  Cuba. 

His  ambition  was  gratified.  Soon  after 
joining,  he  was  promoted  to  sergeant.  He 
was  a  great  helper  and  encourager  of  the 
men  in  his  company.  While  some  of  his 
weaker  comrades  dropped  out  on  the  way- 
side on  the  voyage  to  Cuba,  Sergeant  E. 
W.  Goff  (for  I  refer  to  him)  held  his  own 
on  the  right  of  the  company,  and  was  one 
of  the  first  to  gain  the  heights  of  San  Juan 


50  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

and  enter  the  blockhouse.  Later  on  he  suc- 
cumbed to  the  germs  of  disease  induced  from 
sleeping  on  the  wet  ground  at  Camp  Black, 
fostered  on  the  way  to  Cuba,  made  more 
deadly  by  the  commissariat  incapacity  at  San 
Juan,  and  rendered  fatal  on  the  transport 
which  conveyed  him  home.  Five  dollars 
spent  on  "  medical  comforts "  aboard  ship 
would  have  saved  this  valuable  life. 

The  general  routine  at  Camp  Black  was 
severe  and  monotonous.  The  volunteer  was 
called  soon  after  five  in  the  morning,  when 
hot  coffee  was  served.  General  assembly 
was  sounded  and  roll  call  was  had,  after  which 
policing  and  general  cleaning  up  of  the 
camp  followed.  Breakfast  succeeded  at  eight 
o'clock.  At  Camp  Black  this  meal  was  lux- 
urious when  contrasted  with  what  the  boys 
had  to  tackle  a  few  weeks  later.  Then  came 
guard  mount.  Battalion  drill  followed  com- 
pany drill.  In  the  afternoon  the  manual  of 
small  arms  and  firing  was  carried  on.  Ex- 
pert marksmen,  who  had  qualified  at  the 
ranges  in  the  armories  and  Creedmoor,  were 
detailed  to  instruct  the  raw  recruits.  After 
hard  work  all  day,  it  was  cruel  to  make  these 


Bob  Wrenn,  tennis  champion,  one  of  the  Rough  Riders. 


SOLDIERS   IN   CAMP.  jj 

men  sleep  on  the  wet  ground,  without  even 
a  layer  of  straw  between  them  and  Mother 
Earth.  Malaria  and  rheumatism  were  the 
inevitable  consequences  of  this  gross  mis- 
management. 

From  my  own  experience  at  Camp  Black, 
I  am  able  to  say  conscientiously  that  the 
discipline  was  not  only  stern  but  severe. 
I  have  been  informed  that  Spanish  officers 
were  within  our  lines  at  Mobile,  Key  West, 
and  other  camps.  Had  they  been  sub- 
jected to  the  same  stringent  rules  that  I  was, 
they  would  have  learned  nothing.  No  mat- 
ter where  I  went  with  my  camera,  I  was 
stopped  and  hauled  up  when  it  really  seemed 
as  though  there  was  no  occasion.  The  cor- 
poral of  the  guard  was  often  hailed  when  it 
was  found  I  had  not  the  necessary  permit  to 
pass  me  within  and  without  the  picket  lines, 
and  I  was  unceremoniously  hauled  up  to 
headquarters.  It  is  only  just  to  say  that  I 
was  always  let  go  after  explaining  my  er- 
rand. 

Scientific  sanitarians  in  general  have  a 
lot  to  learn,  especially  with  regard  to  the 
necessary  sinks  and  other  refuse  receptacles, 


52  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

in  respect  to  their  position  and  proximity  to 
the  commissary  department.  Trenches  are 
dug  in  the  ground,  three  or  four  feet  deep, 
not  more  than  one  hundred  yards  from  the 
termination  of  the  company  street,  where  the 
cooking  for  the  men  is  done.  If  the  wind 
blows  from  the  right  direction,  the  odour 
is  almost  unbearable.  In  actual  warfare  in 
a  hostile  country  these  trenches  and  their 
consequent  nuisances  are  unavoidable,  but  in 
permanent  camps  in  our  own  country  a  new 
system  of  sanitation  is  necessary.  The  sys- 
tem adopted  at  the  State  camp  at  Peekskill, 
N.  Y.,  might  be  followed.  There  the  refuse 
of  the  camp  is  deposited  in  iron  receptacles, 
and,  after  proper  disinfection,  is  removed  to 
distant  points.  The  men  in  Camp  Black 
were  drilled  in  and  round  these  sinks,  inhal- 
ing at  all  times  this  foul  air,  while. the  water 
they  drank  and  which  was  used  by  the 
cooks  was  in  close  proximity  to  the  afore- 
said trenches  and  sinks. 

Through  it  all  these  men  steadily  stuck 
to  their  guns,  and,  when  ordered  to  move 
to  a  more  southern  point,  they  responded 
with  that  life  and  dash  so  characteristic  of 


n 

o. 


SOLDIERS    IN    CAMP.  53 

our  volunteer  regiments.  They  were  or- 
dered south  to  Chickamauga,  Key  West, 
and  Tampa,  to  be  at  hand  and  in  readiness 
when  the  time  came  to  invade  Cuba.  The 
concentration  of  our  forces  at  Chickamau- 
ga was  thought  to  be  a  grand  conception. 
Here,  it  was  argued,  our  men  would  be- 
come accustomed  to  the  heat  which  they 
would  later  encounter  in  tropical  Cuba. 
Theoretically,  it  was  correct.  Practically,  it 
failed. 

The  departure  of  the  regiments  from  the 
city  of  New  York  was  made  pathetic  by  the 
wives,  mothers,  sisters,  and  sweethearts  of 
the  men.  The  scenes  at  the  railroad  station 
at  Long  Island  City  were  distressing.  Here 
is  where  departmental  inefficiency  in  the 
matter  of  transportation  was  first  made  mani- 
fest. The  men  then  got  a  first  taste  of  the 
sufferings  they  had  to  endure  later  on. 
When  trains  bearing  troops  arrived  at  the 
Long  Island  City  station,  there  were  no 
boats  waiting  to  transport  the  soldiers  to 
Jersey  City.  The  transportation  arrange- 
ments were  rotten.  I  can  not  find  words  suf- 
ficiently strong  to  express  my  contempt  for 


54 


CANNON    AND    CAMERA. 


the  quartermaster  and  the  commissary  de- 
partments of  these  regiments. 

The  troops  would  arrive  from  Camp  Black 
at  Long  Island  City  late  in  the  afternoon, 
after  travelling  over  the  dirtiest,  slowest,  and 
most  inconvenient  of  all  railroads  in  the  coun- 
try. The  crudest  road  through  the  jungles  of 
India  is  superior.  After  spending  all  day  on 
this  road,  without  conveniences  of  any  kind, 
the  men  reached  the  Long  Island  City  sta- 
tion in  an  exhausted  condition.  As  there 
were  no  boats  provided  for  continuing  the 
journey,  the  men  were  hustled  into  the  rail- 
road yard,  wagons,  cattle  cars,  and  trucks, 
there  to  await  the  maturing  of  the  so-called 
plan  of  some  blundering  and  incompetent 
official.  It  was  impossible  for  a  layman  to 
trace  to  its  source  this  criminal  carelessness. 

The  men  were  kept  in  this  railroad  yard, 
with  nothing  to  eat  except  that  which  was 
brought  to  them  by  personal  friends  and 
members  of  their  families,  or  what  their  con- 
dition elicited  from  sympathizing  and  char- 
itable strangers.  Surely  our  Government, 
with  its  vast  resources,  might  have  provided 
for  these  men,  and  not  have  left  them  to  the 


ex 

E 

U 


SOLDIERS    IN    CAMP. 


55 


charity  of  the  passerby.  It  is  said  that  re- 
publics are  ungrateful;  is  it  not  rather  the 
small  official  in  the  employ  of  the  govern- 
ment of  a  republic  who  brings  this  discredit 
upon  the  country? 

Hour  after  hour  these  men  had  to  huddle 
in  this  railroad  yard,  in  the  broiling  sun,  the 
choking  atmosphere  laden  with  smoke  and 
cinders  from  the  locomotives,  and  with  no 
shelter  whatever.  Some  regiments  had  to 
wait  here  ten  or  twelve  hours  before  trans- 
portation could  be  had  to  Jersey  City,  a  dis- 
tance which  an  able-bodied  tramp  could  have 
covered  in  two  hours.  However,  this  proved 
to  be  but  the  beginning  of  that  official  in- 
competence which  killed  more  of  our  men 
than  Mauser  bullets  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy. 

This  delay  was  discouraging  in  the  ex- 
treme. As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  demoralized 
our  men.  There  was  no  possible  excuse  for 
such  official  blundering.  There  was  no  rush; 
war  had  not  been  declared;  it  mattered  little 
whether  a  day  or  two  passed  before  these 
troops  reached  the  South. 

The  arrival  of  the  New  York  volunteers 


56  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

at  the  Southern  camps,  where  the  regulars 
and  volunteers  were  intermingled,  was  the 
cause  of  a  good  and  healthy  feeling,  for  were 
they  not  brothers  in  arms,  to  go  side  by  side 
and  shoulder  to  shoulder  to  battle?  The 
contrast  that  struck  me  very  forcibly  was 
the  difference  between  the  officers  of  the 
regular  army  and  those  of  our  volunteer 
regiments.  Now,  do  not  misunderstand  me; 
I  have  thorough  knowledge  of  these  volun- 
teer officers  of  whom  I  speak.  I  served  ten 
years  in  the  National  Guard  of  the  State  of 
New7  York  in  one  of  its  crack  regiments.  I 
know  that  these  officers  do  not  have  the  time 
or  opportunity  to  thoroughly  master  the 
ways  and  means  of  conducting  even  mimic 
warfare.  The  West  Point  cadets  have  ample 
time  to  study  and  thoroughly  master  all  the 
details  of  military  life.  They  make  of  it  a 
profession.  They  are  paid  to  be  shot.  Our 
officers  in  the  National  Guard  have  nothing 
but  patriotism  as  an  emolument.  They  are 
first  and  last  business  men.  Had  they  the 
military  training  of  West  Point,  and  the  later 
study  and  practice  of  the  regular  army  of- 
ficers, they  would  perhaps  make  good  sol- 


SOLDIERS    IN    CAMP. 


57 


diers.  My  modest  recommendation  is,  that 
our  volunteer  regiments  should  be  officered 
by  the  overplus  from  West  Point  for  whom 
Uncle  Sam  now  finds  no  occupation.  This 
would  be  a  benefit  to  the  nation  at  large,  and 
would  prevent  the  waste  of  intellectual  and 
physical  manhood  that  goes  through  the  in- 
evitable sewer  pipe  of  West  Point. 

In  going  through  the  camp  at  Chicka- 
mauga,  the  life  of  the  soldier  struck  me  as 
a  happy  one.  All  were  comrades.  They 
messed  together  in  a  jovial  manner.  The 
coloured  soldier,  always  funny,  seemed  more 
particularly  so  amid  these  surroundings.  He 
was  simply  aching  to  get  at  the  dons.  He 
did  not  forget  that  the  Spaniards  first  intro- 
duced slavery  on  this  continent. 

At  nighttime  our  coloured  brethren  were 
to  be  found  congregated  in  bunches  in  a 
quiet  little  tent  or  in  some  unseen  or  un- 
looked-for nook  making  up  different  songs 
and  verses  which  were  not  at  all  compli- 
mentary. The  regimental  bard  was  present! 
In  all  the  regiments  were  many  more  or  less 
musically  inclined.  Their  instruments  were 
the  banjo,  guitar,  penny  whistle,  and  mando- 


58  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

lin,  and  they  made  the  nights  pleasant  in 
more  ways  than  one  by  singing  our  familiar 
songs.  The  one  possibly  most  sung  was  that 
melodious  ditty,  "  Tenting  To-night  on  the 
Old  Camp  Ground.'" 

This  song,  started  by  the  melody  of  the 
negro  singers,  was  taken  up  on  all  sides,  until 
the  glorious  strain  was  sung  from  the  east- 
ern part  of  the  camp  to  the  western  end. 
Each  extremity  took  up  the  refrain,  and  as 
the  tenor  part  of  the  "  Tenting  to-night  " 
died  away,  and  the  bass  came  in  with  its  mag- 
nificent and  melodious  recall,  it  seemed  as 
though  it  were  one  great  angelic  chorus  mak- 
ing music  in  the  twilight.  The  flood  of  song 
affected  me  as  I  never  had  been  affected 
before. 

The  negro  soldier  appealed  to  me  in  many 
ways.  Chief  of  all  is  that  happy  streak  in 
his  disposition  which  is  contagious.  This 
he  vents  in  large  measure  by  singing  airs, 
which  give  him  scope  for  improvising  topical 
songs.  One  of  these,  sung  to  the  tune 
of  Down  in  Dixie,  was  a  favourite  here 
with  them,  and  they  took  advantage  of  the 
blank  lines  which  they  had  to  fill  out  to 


^ 


SOLDIERS    IN    CAMP.  59 

disclose  their  sentiments  toward  the  Span- 
iards. 

In  the  general  course  of  events  matters 
came  to  a  crisis.  Camps  were  struck.  Every- 
thing was  taken  along  that  was  necessary, 
and  the  troops  were  transported  to  Key 
West,  where  steamships  were  waiting  for 
them  to  embark. 

Here  is  where  General  Mismanagement 
again  showed  his  hand.  While  the  head  of- 
ficials of  the  army  were  taking  jaunting  trips 
between  Washington  and  Key  West  in  pal- 
ace cars  and  other  up-to-date  railway  con- 
veniences, and  the  board  of  strategy  pulled 
an  expression  of  owl-like  wisdom  over  its  of- 
ficial face,  and  the  men  were  being  packed 
into  these  transports  as  hurriedly  as  though  a 
great  battle  were  imminent  within  the  next 
twenty-four  hours,  it  had  not  been  decided 
where  these  troops  were  to  be  sent.  The 
troops  were  huddled  on  these  iron  steam- 
ships, with  a  tropical  sun  adding  to  their  dis- 
comfort. Such  suffering  as  this  our  men  had 
not  been  used  to.  They  were  penned  up  on 
steamships  like  hogs  in  a  cattle  car,  drink- 
ing warm  water,  eating  hard-tack  and  greasy 


60  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

pork  while  in  plain  sight  of  shore  and  with- 
in easy  access  of  fresh  provisions.  They 
knew  not  whither  they  were  to  be  sent.  At 
one  time  a  report  would  be  in  circulation 
that  they  were  to  be  shipped  to  Porto  Rico, 
only  to  be  replaced  by  another  in  an  hour 
to  the  effect  that  they  were  to  be  sent  to 
Havana,  when  a  wild  rumour  would  come 
along  that  they  were  bound  for  Santiago. 

At  last,  after  five  days  of  this  penning  up, 
they  started,  convoyed  by  several  war  ships 
of  the  navy,  their  destination  being  Santi- 
ago, glad  to  go  anywhere  rather  than  endure 
continued  uncertainty  and  heartless  deten- 
tion. Despite  all  this  ill  treatment  at  the 
hands  of  red-tape  officialdom,  when  the  news 
finally  came  that  they  were  to  go  to  San- 
tiago their  spirits  were  not  dampened  nor 
their  ardour  less  high,  and  I  can  truthfully 
say  that  the  best  and  boldest  men  that  ever 
took  ship  for  an  enemy's  country  were  leav- 
ing the  United  States  on  these  transports. 


j 

53 
PL, 


CHAPTER  III. 

OFF    FOR    THE    SEAT    OF    WAR. 

My  work  in  packing  my  photographic  and  other  supplies — 
Lessons  learned  in  Cuba  stand  me  in  good  stead — Medi- 
cal stores  and  comforts — My  shipmates  and  my  vessel 
— Our  stay  at  Jamaica,  where  we  buy  polo  ponies,  and 
take  in  necessary  stores. 

MY  next  journey  was  a  flying  trip  East, 
where  I  immediately  started  in  to  prepare 
myself  for  a  hard  campaign.  Photographic 
supplies  of  different  kinds  had  to  be  obtained 
in  large  quantities,  for  I  was  determined  to 
make  the  effort  of  my  life  in  this  expedition. 
I  wanted  to  achieve  something  which  had 
never  been  done  before. 

When  I  arrived  in  New  York  city,  I  con- 
sulted with  the  well-known  war  correspond- 
ent James  Creelman,  who  had  distinguished 
himself  in  the  war  between  China  and  Japan. 
He  told  me  that  my  path  would  be  a  mighty 
thorny  one;  that  while  he  had  made  a  great 

effort    in    that    war   to    obtain    good   photo- 

61 


62  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

graphic  material,  had  employed  the  best  of 
men,  and  given  them  every  facility,  they  had 
absolutely  failed  from  one  cause  or  another 
to  give  him  practical  results. 

Mr.  W.  R.  Hearst,  proprietor  of  the  New 
York  Journal,  had  engaged  me  for  this  work, 
and  he  was  determined  to  spare  nothing  to 
obtain  good  photographs,  so  I  determined 
to  take  along  three  different  sizes  of  cameras. 
First  chosen  was  my  good  and  trusty  in- 
strument, my  six  by  ten.  This  I  imagined 
would  be  the  best  all-round  camera  to  use 
in  field  operations.  Being  a  convenient  size 
for  general  work,  I  supplied  myself  with  a 
large  quantity  of  plates  for  use  with  it.  I 
did  not  know  how  long  the  war  would  last, 
but,  so  as  to  be  prepared  for  any  emergency, 
I  equipped  myself  with  four  gross  of  six-by- 
ten  plates.  I  knew  that  a  great  deal  of  work 
would  be  done  with  our  blockading  squadron, 
while  my  part  of  it  would  be  accomplished 
from  a  boat;  therefore  my  eleven-by-fourteen 
camera  seemed  to  me  a  good  size  to  take 
along  for  this  work,  the  six  by  ten  being  in- 
tended for  land  operations  only.  In  close 
work,  such  as  bombardments  along  the 


PQ 

CL, 

rt 
U 


1 


OFF   FOR    THE    SEAT   OF   WAR.  63 

shore,  engagements  could  be  photographed  at 
short  range  with  the  eleven-by-fourteen  in- 
strument, and  it  would  also  include  three  or 
four  vessels  in  a  picture  at  a  distance  of  from 
five  hundred  to  one  thousand  yards.  Shut- 
ters of  a  very  rapid-acting  type  were,  of 
course,  necessary;  therefore  I  took  along 
the  quickest  shutters  I  had  for  each  camera 
in  duplicate.  I  determined  also  to  take  along 
my  largest  camera,  which  was  a  twelve  by 
twenty.  This  instrument,  with  a  long-focus 
lens,  would  give  me  a  fair  picture  at  twice  the 
distance  capable  of  being  taken  with  my 
eleven  by  fourteen.  This  camera  did  splen- 
did work  for  me  during  the  destruction  of 
Cervera's  fleet. 

Having  provided  myself  with  these  dif- 
ferent sizes  of  cameras  and  a  variety  of  lenses 
of  different  focal  lengths,  it  now  remained  to 
select  plates  with  which  to  make  the  nega- 
tives and  paper  on  which  to  print  them,  to- 
gether with  the  necessary  chemicals  for  de- 
veloping. 

My  experience  in  Havana  had  taught 
me  the  necessity  of  a  goodly  supply  of  medi- 
cal stores.  Foremost  among  these  were  aro- 


64  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

matic  spirits  of  ammonia  and  quinine.  I 
thought  of  the  old  adage  that  an  ounce  of 
prevention  is  worth  a  pound  of  cure,  there- 
fore I  provided  myself  with  the  following  arti- 
cles: Acetate  of  lead,  which  in  solution  is 
good  for  the  bites  of  mosquitoes  and  other 
insects;  extract  of  witch  hazel  and  vaseline, 
for  use  for  sunburn;  Sun  cholera  drops,  for 
diarrhoea;  and  rhubarb  pills,  for  a  mild  at- 
tack of  bowel  complaint,  were  among  my 
supplies.  A  goodly  store  of  talcum  powder, 
in  case  of  chafing  in  the  saddle;  court  plas- 
ter, with  a  small  case  of  surgical  instruments, 
bottles  of  nux  vomica  and  belladonna,  for  use 
in  cases  of  extreme  fevers,  completed  my 
medical  stores.  I  also  provided  myself  with 
several  woollen  bandages  for  the  stomach, 
and,  thanks  to  these,  not  a  day  of  stomach 
trouble  did  I  experience  other  than  those 
incidental  to  the  tribute  I  always  pay  to  Nep- 
tune. I  also  provided  myself  with  very  light 
woollen  underclothing,  and  good  heavy,  stout 
solid  shoes  and  leggings,  to  prevent  the  sharp 
cacti  and  thorns  from  piercing  my  legs.  A 
good  wide-brimmed  hat  and  light  woollen 
shirts  (sufficient  for  frequent  changes)  car- 


OFF   FOR   THE    SEAT    OF   WAR.  65 

ried  me  through.  I  also  had  several  rubber 
blankets,  which  I  used  to  cover  my  cameras 
and  plate  cases  during  sudden  thunder- 
storms. These  I  also  used  as  a  medium  be- 
tween myself  and  the  ground  at  night  for 
a  bed,  while  a  plate  case  answered  as  a 
pillow. 

Mr.  Hearst  had  chartered  the  steamer 
Sylvia  for  this  trip,  upon  which  I  had  fitted 
a  dark  room  for  developing,  which,  though 
not  elaborate,  was  convenient.  The  Sylvia 
carried  a  large  supply  of  ice.  As  I  had  been 
down  in  this  tropical  climate  of  Cuba  off  and 
on  for  a  period  of  three  months,  I  knew  the 
absolute  necessity  of  a  large  quantity  of  this 
commodity  for  photographic  purposes.  I 
determined  to  be  equipped  for  all  emergen- 
cies, the  thick  of  battle  on  land  and  among 
the  flying  shells  on  the  water.  Thus  I  pre- 
pared myself  in  every  way  with  duplicates 
of  almost  everything  for  practical  use.  The 
getting  together  of  all  these  necessary  chem- 
icals and  photographic  materials  was  no  easy 
job. 

On  board  the  Sylvia  I  had  sufficient  pho- 
tographic material  to  start  an  ordinary 


66  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

photograph  supply  shop.  We  left  New  York 
for  the  seat  of  war,  excellently  equipped  to 
report  all  naval  and  military  happenings. 
Mr.  Hearst's  intention  was  to  depict  and  de- 
scribe to  his  fellow-citizens  the  events  at  the 
seat  of  war  with  all  the  vividness  and  ac- 
curacy possible  to  camera  and  pen. 

Our  party  consisted  of  Mr.  W.  R.  Hearst, 
Messrs.  J.  Follansbee,  James  Creelman,  and 
G.  Pancoast,  myself,  and  my  assistants. 
Among  the  other  supplies  on  the  Sylvia  was  a 
printing  machine  and  the  material  necessary 
to  print  the  first  paper  in  Cuba  after  it  came 
into  the  possession  of  the  United  States. 
We  did  not  go  direct  to  Santiago,  but  headed 
for  and  reached  Kingston,  Jamaica.  Here 
we  replenished  our  stores  and  provisions,  and 
purchased  several  polo  ponies. 

Saturday  afternoon  in  Jamaica  is  always 
a  picturesque  scene.  It  is  a  half  holiday,  the 
morning  being  devoted  to  marketing.  The 
natives  for  miles  around  journey  on  foot  to 
Kingston  with  fruits  and  vegetables,  carried 
on  their  heads  and  on  their  donkeys,  to  ex- 
change with  the  storekeepers  for  groceries. 
The  main  road  leading  into  Kingston  from 


OFF    FOR    THE    SEAT    OF   WAR.  67 

the  Crystal  Spring  Hotel  is  generally  blocked 
for  miles  on  Saturday  afternoons.  The  crowd 
consists  for  the  most  part  of  native  women. 
With  their  gaily  coloured  bandanas  and 
their  clothes  of  yellow  and  red,  swinging 
along  at  an  easy  and  graceful  gait,  they  make 
a  spectacle  pleasing  and  picturesque.  Now 
and  then  one  saw  a  market  woman  struggling 
with  that  ingrained  obstinacy  ever  present 
in  the  descendants  of  Balaam's  beast  of  bur- 
den. A  little  farther  on  one  was  confronted 
with  a  brace  of  asses,  upon  which  were  lashed 
packs  with  a  woman  on  top.  Some  of  these 
women  travel  from  ten  to  fifteen  miles  to 
Kingston  with  fruit,  their  entire  stock  not 
being  worth  more  than  six  or  eight  English 
shillings  (from  a  dollar  and  a  half  to  two 
dollars). 

The  road  is  wide  and  dusty,  and  among 
the  people  you  meet  are  the  native  soldiers, 
swaggering  along  in  pairs  in  the  middle  of 
the  road,  attired  in  Zouave  uniform,  with 
turbans  cocked  jauntily  on  their  heads  in 
the  same  way  they  wore  them  through  the 
Soudan. 

I  noted  an  incident  which  struck  me  as 


68  CANNON    AND    CAMERA. 

characteristic.  While  we  were  going  along 
this  road,  about  two  or  three  miles  from 
Kingston,  two  planters  on  horseback  came 
riding  furiously  and  recklessly  by.  They 
were  yelling  and  shouting  for  every  one  to 
clear  the  way.  A  woman  and  her  daughter 
were  much  in  doubt  which  way  to  turn  to 
avoid  them.  They  were  run  down  and  very 
severely  hurt  by  one  of  the  riders.  Imme- 
diately loud  cries  came  from  their  trav- 
elling companions,  and  a  great  commotion 
ensued,  which  resulted  in  the  advance  guard 
of  this  strange  procession  forming  in  the 
road  so  as  to  bar  the  progress  of  the  horse- 
men, and  a  native  with  great  dignity  and 
ceremony  arrested  and  marched  the  offender 
to  the  Kingston  jail.  The  woman  and  her 
daughter  were  picked  up;  both  were  bleed- 
ing profusely. 

The  women  in  this  returning  procession 
marched  along,  singing  and  joking,  happy 
and  smoking,  as  though  life  was  but  a  huge 
joke.  Four  or  five  miles  outside  of  Kings- 
ton on  this  road  we  reached  the  racecourse. 
Here  we  bought  some  polo  ponies  for  use 
during  our  Cuban  campaign.  The  Crystal 


OFF   FOR    THE   SEAT   OF   WAR.  69 

Springs  Hotel  was  our  next  objective  point, 
which  we  found  a  very  pleasant  place  to 
dine.  After  dinner  we  returned  on  board 
the  Sylvia,  where  we  found  our  live  stock 
already  delivered.  Captain  Clark  was  thus 
ready  to  heave  up  anchor  and  proceed  to  San- 
tiago de  Cuba  on  June  i8th. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

LANDING    IN   THE    ENEMY'S    COUNTRY. 

Our  first  encounter  with  the  American  navy — Welcomed  by 
Admiral  Sampson  and  received  by  General  Shafter — Inter- 
view with  General  Garcia,  of  the  Cuban  army — Insurgents 
made  glad  by  presents  of  rations — Delight  of  our  troops 
at  landing — The  Red  Cross  Society  begins  its  work  of 
mercy. 

LEAVING  Kingston  on  a  beautiful  Sun- 
day morning,  we  passed  picturesque  and 
placid  Port  Royal  and  steamed  out  upon  the 
bosom  of  the  Caribbean  Sea  toward  Santi- 
ago. The  bosom  of  the  Caribbean  Sea  at 
times  may  be  a  fit  place  to  pillow  a  babe, 
but  on  this  occasion  it  was  no  cradle.  After 
tumbling  around  for  ten  hours,  the  good 
ship  Sylvia  arrived  off  the  mouth  of  Santiago 
harbour,  just  outside  the  blockading  squad- 
ron, when  we  were  suddenly  hailed  and 
brought  to  by  the  New  Orleans,  from  whose 
mast  fluttered  the  signal,  "  Where  are  you 

bound   for? "    and   before   we   could   answer 
70 


LANDING  IN  THE  ENEMY'S  COUNTRY.  71 

they   hoisted  another  signal   to   the  breeze, 
"  We  want  to  board  you,  sir." 

As  we  wished  to  make  ourselves  known, 
we  had  no  serious  objection  to  meeting  one 
of  the  squadron  guarding  the  once  elusive 
but  now  bottled  Cervera.  An  officer  from 
the  New  Orleans  put  off  in  a  whaleboat, 
which  came  alongside  our  vessel.  The  of- 
ficer mounted  to  the  deck,  inquired  our  mis- 
sion, and  asked  our  intentions.  We  told 
him  we  were  there  to  picture  to  the  life  the 
doings  of  the  American  fleet.  This  officer 
looked  hotter  than  he  really  was,  for,  in  the 
first  place,  he  was  red-headed,  and  great 
beads  of  perspiration  were  rolling  down  his 
cheeks.  He  was  one  of  those  typical  naval 
men  with  whom  one  comes  in  contact  very 
often  at  Hampton  Roads.  While  he  ap- 
peared to  be  a  veritable  devil,  he  was  really 
a  most  genial,  gentlemanly,  and  good- 
hearted  fellow.  He  told  us  all  that  had  oc- 
curred during  the  preceding  week,  and  gave 
us  a  great  deal  of  information.  He  added 
that  he  was  glad  to  see  us,  and  that  no  doubt 
we  would  be  welcomed  by  the  rest  of  the 
squadron.  We  told  him  that  we  wanted  to 


72  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

report  to  Admiral  Sampson,  in  order  that 
we  might  have  our  papers  countersigned. 
He  then  signalled  to  the  New  Orleans,  wig- 
wagging with  his  cap  for  the  purpose,  and 
told  them  the  result  of  his  boarding  trip. 
An  answer  to  proceed  was  received.  Bid- 
ding us  good  luck,  the  officer  got  into  his 
own  boat,  and,  after  making  a  good  pic- 
ture of  the  New  Orleans,  we  proceeded  to 
Admiral  Sampson's  flagship,  the  New  York, 
half  a  mile  distant. 

When  within  hailing  distance  of  the  flag- 
ship, we  told  them  we  would  like  to  board 
her.  Receiving  permission,  Mr.  Hearst,  Mr. 
Creelman,  and  myself  put  off  in  the  Sylvia's 
steam  launch.  Now,  this  steam  launch  was 
a  thing  of  beauty,  but  not  a  joy  forever  while 
in  use,  for  upon  starting  for  the  New  York 
she  became  obstreperous,  and  would  not  re- 
spond to  the  coaxings  of  the  engineer  and 
coxswain.  By  and  by  we  reached  the  side 
of  the  New  York,  and,  as  she  was  stripped 
for  fighting,  there  was  no  elaborate  gang- 
way ladder  down  the  side  by  which  to  reach 
her  deck,  so  we  had  to  scramble  up  the  sea 
ladder. 


Admiral  Sampson. 


LANDING   IN   THE   ENEMY'S   COUNTRY. 


73 


Upon  reaching  the  quarter-deck  of  the 
New  York,  we  were  met  by  the  officer  of  the 
deck,  who  inquired  our  mission.  I  told  him 
I  wished  to  see  the  admiral.  When  my  name 
was  announced  to  the  admiral,  he  came  for- 
ward and  bade  me  welcome.  I  had  met  him 
at  Havana,  where  he  was  serving  as  the 
president  of  the  naval  court  of  inquiry  touch- 
ing the  disaster  to  the  Maine,  and  there  he 
had  extended  to  me  every  courtesy  and  facil- 
ity possible,  and  he  was  glad,  he  said,  to  see 
me  picture-taking  at  Santiago.  After  wel- 
coming Mr.  Hearst  and  Mr.  Creelman,  and 
having  a  pleasant  chat,  he  told  me  he  should 
be  pleased  to  extend  any  courtesies  in  his 
power.  We  then  returned  to  our  ship,  and, 
as  we  were  now  recognised  by  the  admiral 
as  friends,  to  say  the  least,  we  were  given 
the  freedom  of  the  fleet. 

We  next  proceeded  to  Siboney,  where 
the  headquarters  of  the  New  York  Journal 
had  been  established,  and  where  we  stood 
off  and  on  during  the  night.  Here  we  spoke 
the  Simpson,  that  gallantly  commanded  tug, 
from  which  we  obtained  the  information  that 
General  Shafter  was  on  board  the  Seguranca. 


74  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

The  Seguranca  was  No.  29  of  the  transport 
fleet,  and  it  was  difficult  to  find  her,  as  the 
order  in  the  blockading  fleet  was  to  display 
no  lights  at  night.  We  wanted  to  find  Gen- 
eral Shafter  so  that  we  might  get  our  papers 
countersigned  giving  us  the  right  of  uninter- 
rupted entry  and  exit  within  the  picket  lines 
of  the  land  forces.  We  had  a  long  search 
for  him,  and  were  often  held  up  by  a  glaring 
searchlight  on  board  one  of  the  little  con- 
verted gunboats  or  a  saucy  little  torpedo 
boat,  accompanied  by  the  hail,  "  Who  are 
you? "  to  which  we  gave  the  response, 
"  Steamship  Sylvia,  of  the  New  York  Jour- 
nal." This  went  on  for  several  hours,  until 
at  last  we  found  the  Seguranca  in  Guanta- 
namo  Bay. 

On  this  boat  General  Shafter  had  his 
headquarters  before  he  established  them  on 
shore.  Nearby  there  hovered  several  of  the 
vessels  of  Admiral  Sampson's  fleet.  On  the 
Seguranca  we  found  General  Shafter  in  a 
mood  not  truthfully  to  be  described  as  pleas- 
ant. We  learned  that  this  frame  of  mind  was 
induced  by  news  of  reverses  to  some  of  our 
forces  under  his  command.  It  occurred  to 


LANDING    IN    THE    ENEMY'S   COUNTRY. 


75 


me  that,  as  our  forces  were  on  shore,  this 
ship  was  not  the  proper  place  for  the  gen- 
eral commanding  the  Fifth  Army  Corps.  In 
my  opinion,  as  I  saw  the  general,  stripped  to 
his  trousers  and  a  light  blue  shirt,  he  seemed 
physically  unfit  for  an  arduous  campaign.  I 
knew  that  the  tremendous  heat  and  the  fa- 
tigue he  would  have  to  endure  would  be 
very  hard  for  a  man  built  on  the  lines  of 
General  Shafter.  I  found  him  in  the  social 
hall  as  one  would  find  a  passenger  on  any 
steamboat.  He  might  have  been  on  shore  to 
examine  the  coast  for  a  short  time,  but  he 
could  not  have  done  anything  further,  as  he 
had  not  been  there  long  enough.  At  any 
rate,  the  engagement  had  taken  place,  and, 
so  far  as  I  could  learn,  it  reflected  no  credit 
on  the  general  in  command. 

The  conclusion  I  came  to  at  the  time  of 
our  first  meeting — and  which,  on  reflection, 
I  have  no  reason  to  change — was  that  the  im- 
portant command  of  our  invading  army  in 
a  tropical  country,  every  inch  of  which  might 
be  contested  by  active  commanders  accus- 
tomed to  the  country  and  immune  from  fever, 
should  have  been  intrusted  to  a  more  phys- 


76  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

ically  active  and  energetic  man.  General 
Shafter  was  reticent  with  respect  to  his 
plans.  He  received  us  courteously,  acknowl- 
edged our  credentials,  and  gave  us  permission 
to  enter  the  lines  at  any  point  we  saw  fit. 
We  remained  on  board  the  Seguranca  for  a 
short  time,  and  had  a  little  informal  talk 
with  him  relative  to  the  health  and  spirits 
of  his  army.  He  expressed  himself  as  sat- 
isfied with  the  men  under  his  command,  and 
added  that  he  would  make  a  very  short  cam- 
paign of  it. 

We  then  returned  to  our  ship  and  retired 
for  the  night.  Next  morning  we  were  awak- 
ened early,  and  we  got  all  things  in  readi- 
ness and  went  ashore. 

The  village  of  Siboney  was  made  the 
landing  place  of  our  troops  from  the  trans- 
ports and  the  base  of  supplies  of  the  Fifth 
Army  Corps.  The  beach  at  Siboney  is  rather 
a  tricky  one,  so  that  in  landing  the  troops 
those  who  handled  the  surf  boats  had  to  be 
very  careful,  because  of  the  strong  undertow. 
A  day  or  two  previous  to  our  landing  here 
one  or  two  of  the  American  gunboats  had 
shelled  this  place  and  scattered  the  Spanish 


LANDING   IN    THE    ENEMY'S   COUNTRY. 


77 


forces  then  in  possession.  As  the  retreat  of 
the  Spaniards  was  hasty,  as  well  as  without 
a  vestige  of  their  "  manana  diplomacy,"  they 
left  for  the  rude  hands  and  capacious  stom- 
achs of  the  invaders  a  quantity  of  rum  and 
wines,  cigars  and  edibles.  The  blockhouse 
just  in  front  of  this  beach  was  the  first  block- 
house over  which  Old  Glory  was  hoisted.  At 
this  place  the  Engineer  Corps  did  great  and 
useful  work  in  erecting  a  pier  in  short  order. 
The  troops  were  brought  in  on  the  trans- 
ports very  close  to  the  shore,  and  then  the 
men  embarked  in  small  boats  and  landed  in 
the  surf.  It  was  a  splendid  and  picturesque 
sight  to  see  the  many  different  regiments 
being  thus  landed.  Among  those  that  came 
ashore  on  this  day  were  the  Seventy-first 
New  York,  the  Thirty-second  and  Thirty- 
third  Michigan,  volunteers  from  Massachu- 
setts and  Illinois,  together  with  a  large  com- 
plement of  regulars. 

These  men  found  this  a  haven  of  rest  after 
the  terrible  experiences  they  had  endured 
on  the  dirty  transports.  No  sooner  had  they 
reached  the  beach  than  they  doffed  their  uni- 
forms and  plunged  into  the  sea.  How  glori- 


10 


78  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

ous  this  seemed  to  the  boys!  Those  Cubans 
who  had  been  left  with  our  troops  by  Gen- 
eral Garcia  to  act  as  guides  and  scouts  stood 
along  the  beach  and  watched  with  amaze- 
ment their  comrades  in  arms  disport  them- 
selves in  the  surf.  It  was  quite  a  picturesque 
scene  at  which  I  pointed  the  eye  of  my  cam- 
era. Those  of  our  troops  which  monopo- 
lized the  attention  of  the  Cubans  were  the 
coloured  regulars,  and  we  have  nothing  of 
which  we  can  rightfully  be  prouder  than  the 
men  of  the  Tenth  and  Eleventh  Cavalry,  who 
soon  afterward  made  themselves  famous  and 
gloriously  gained  the  heights  of  El  Caney. 
In  the  surf  these  men  played  all  kinds  of 
pranks  and  tricks.  They  were  in  the  hu- 
mour for  doing  anything  from  taking  a  hop, 
skip,  and  a  jump  to  hauling  on  the  painters 
of  the  surf  boats  as  they  sought  a  place  of 
landing  for  the  soldiers  contained  in  them. 
They  were  always  ready  and  willing  to  do 
whatever  lay  in  their  power.  I  made  a  great 
many  pictures  of  the  transports  landing  at 
this,  base  of  supplies  for  the  Fifth  Army 
Corps. 

Leaving  the  beach  and  ascending  a  rather 


LANDING   IN    THE    ENEMY'S   COUNTRY. 


79 


steep  incline,  we  came  to  the  railroad  track 
which  skirts  this  little  village.  Here  hos- 
pital headquarters  had  been  established  for 
the  typhoid  and  malarial  patients,  a  class 
which  day  by  day  grew  in  numbers.  Trav- 
elling along  a  short  distance  to  the  west- 
ward, we  came  upon  several  white  tents 
which  had  been  erected  as  headquarters  of 
the  different  and  numerous  newspapers  which 
were  represented  at  the  seat  of  war.  The 
New  York  Journal  had  established  its  quar- 
ters at  a  cosy  little  Cuban  dwelling. 

Near  by  and  to  the  right  stood  the  house 
of  the  Red  Cross  Society,  under  the  man- 
agement and  direction  of  Miss  Clara  Barton 
and  Dr.  Lesser.  Supplies  were  brought  to 
this  house  from  the  steamship  State  of  Texas, 
the  Red  Cross  Society's  boat,  which  was  then 
lying  in  the  harbour  of  Siboney.  Each  day 
the  nurses  from  the  Red  Cross  steamer  were 
landed,  and  they  administered  to  the  welfare 
of  the  men  in  this  hospital  at  that  time.  Pa- 
tients in  a  more  serious  condition  were  taken 
on  board  the  Government  hospital  ship  Oli- 
vette. The  insurgent  troops  were  coming 
into  Siboney  in  large  numbers,  and  poor, 


8o  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

wretched,  emaciated  creatures  these  Cuban 
soldiers  were.  In  some  instances  they  had 
scarcely  anything  in  the  way  of  attire  to 
screen  their  nudity.  Their  outfits  in  most 
cases  consisted  of  a  few  cooking  utensils,  a 
rifle,  machete,  and  an  empty  stomach.  It 
was  a  sight  I  shall  never  forget  seeing  these 
poor  fellows  flocking  into  Siboney.  They 
were  positively  without  homes,  and  did  not 
know  what  would  occur  at  the  next  mo- 
ment. Their  object  in  coming  to  Siboney 
was  to  see  General  Garcia  and  his  staff,  who 
arrived  the  following  day,  and  took  up  their 
quarters  in  an  odd  little  Cuban  shanty 
painted  blue  and  white,  with  red  tiles  on  the 
roof  and  tropical  plants  growing  on  all  sides. 
This  house  was  situated  but  a  short  distance 
from  the  railroad  which  runs  from  Baiquiri 
to  Santiago.  In  front  of  General  Garcia's 
headquarters  a  part  of  our  infantry  which 
had  just  landed  was  quartered  and  encamped 
for  the  night. 

Our  first  visit  was  to  General  Garcia's 
headquarters,  where  we  went  to  interview  the 
general  on  his  long  service  for  Cuba,  and  to 
learn,  if  possible,  his  plans  for  future  opera- 


LANDING   IN   THE   ENEMY'S   COUNTRY,     gl 

tions.  We  found  a  very  pleasant  old  gentle- 
man, with  a  frank,  open  countenance,  dis- 
playing the  scars  he  had  received  in  the  many 
battles  he  had  waged  against  his  country's 
enemies.  When  he  stood  up  on  his  veranda 
and  bade  us  welcome,  we  saw  a  man  between 
sixty  and  seventy  years  of  age,  with  a  phys- 
ique and  frame  which  had  doubtless  once 
been  ideal  in  its  massiveness  and  strength. 
He  was  clad  in  a  pair  of  light  brown  leather 
boots,  the  inevitable  blue-striped  trousers,  a 
white  duck  coat,  and  a  large  wide-brimmed 
panama  hat  to  complete  the  outfit. 

General  Garcia  greeted  us  in  our  own 
language,  and  introduced  his  son — a  noble, 
frank-looking  fellow — and  the  other  mem- 
bers of  his  staff.  He  asked  us  to  be  seated, 
and  talked  to  us  of  the  many  hardships  and 
trials  he  had  passed  through  in  battling  for 
Cuba's  freedom,  and  informed  us  that  he 
came  to  Siboney,  at  the  request  of  General 
Shafter,  in  order  to  have  his  troops  act  in 
concert  with  the  American  forces,  and  to  as- 
sist, wherever  he  could,  by  moving  his  men  in 
harmony  with  our  own.  When  he  uncovered 
his  head  and  wiped  the  beads  of  perspiration 


82  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

from  his  brow,  a  large  scar  was  to  be  seen 
in  the  centre  of  his  forehead.  This  testi- 
fied to  the  fact  that  he  had  spilt  his  blood 
in  the  cause  of  right  and  humanity  and  the 
liberty  of  his  country  and  its  people. 

After  talking  for  some  time,  the  general 
instructed  one  of  his  orderlies  to  have  cof- 
fee served,  of  which  we  all  partook.  Then 
his  son  brought  forward  a  Cuban  flag  which 
had  been  borne  through  many  a  hard  bat- 
tle, and  which  had  been  punctured  in  many 
places  by  Spanish  bullets.  This  the  general 
presented  to  Mr.  Hearst  as  a  token  of  hon- 
our, esteem,  and  gratitude  for  the  generous 
aid  which  Mr.  Hearst  had  ever  given  to  the 
cause  of  Cuba  Libre.  While  the  ceremony 
of  presentation  was  informal,  there  yet 
seemed  beneath  it  all  a  feeling  of  intense 
sincerity. 

In  handing  over  the  flag,  the  old  general 
said  to  Mr.  Hearst:  "  Whether  this  war  con- 
tinues for  three  years,  three  months,  or  three 
days  longer,  I  am  willing  to  fight  until  my 
end  shall  come.  Before  that  time  does 
come,  I  trust  that  the  hopes  I  have  given 
to  my  people  may  be  fulfilled."  Then,  as 


o     -r, 


LANDING   IN    THE   ENEMY'S   COUNTRY.     83 

he  looked  beyond  the  veranda  toward  our 
forces,  he  added:  "  With  those  men  I  can 
go  through  anything  and  everything.  Vic- 
tory must  come.  We  are  in  the  right,  and  it 
must  be  so." 

The  old  man  then  waxed  warm,  his  eyes 
filled  with  tears,  and  he  uttered  the  battle 
cry  of  his  forces,  "  Viva  Cuba  Libre!  "  This 
sentiment  was  echoed  by  all  within  hearing 
distance.  I  asked  the  old  general  if  he  would 
object  to  my  taking  a  picture  of  him  at  this 
time,  and  he  very  pleasantly  acquiesced. 
The  picture  shows  him  with  Mr.  Creelman 
standing  by  his  side,  his  son  reading  a  de- 
spatch which  had  been  handed  in  from  Gen- 
eral Shafter  with  instructions  to  take  his 
forces  to  the  left  wing  and  protect  that  end 
of  the  line  to  the  best  of  his  ability. 

The  Cuban  soldiers  were  surrounding  this 
place  in  large  numbers.  They  were  footsore, 
weary,  and  hungry,  for  they  had  just  come 
in  from  the  mountains,  where  they  had  been 
fighting  off  and  on  for  three  years,  through 
all  kinds  of  weather  and  vicissitudes  of  for- 
tune. Here  some  of  the  officers  and  men  met 
their  wives  for  the  first  time  since  the  begin- 


84  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

ning  of  the  long  war.  One  could  see  in  the 
faces  of  these  Cuban  soldiers  a  gleam  of 
light,  a  look  of  satisfaction,  a  ray  of  hope, 
and  a  resignation  to  do  and  die  as  they  found 
themselves  side  by  side  and  elbow  to  elbow 
with  the  men  of  Uncle  Sam's  army.  Some 
of  these  Cubans  who  could  speak  a  few  words 
of  English  told  me  they  never  felt  so  confi- 
dent of  success  before  in  their  lives.  It  was, 
in  fact,  as  though  new  life  had  entered  into 
them.  A  great  change  had  come  upon  them. 
They  found  themselves  buoyed  up  by  the 
sight  of  our  war  ships  afloat  and  our  army 
on  shore,  with  plenty  of  provisions  to  sus- 
tain the  inner  man  in  a  manner  more  sub- 
stantial than  had  previously  been  their  lot 
at  the  hands  of  their  patriotic  but  weak 
countrymen. 

It  was  amusing  to  see  these  soldiers  re- 
port to  the  quartermaster  and  commissary 
departments  of  the  American  army  for  their 
rations.  You  could  see  one  soldier  here 
gliding  along  with  a  rapid  shuffle,  a  side  of 
bacon  on  his  head,  followed  by  others  with 
cases  and  boxes  of  biscuits.  Canned  meats 
and  edibles  of  all  descriptions  were  given  to 


Copyright,  189X,  by  W.  R  Her.rst. 

Cuban  scouts  going  on  outpost  duty. 


LANDING    IN    THE    ENEMY'S   COUNTRY.     85 

these  half-starved  soldiers.  It  caused  a  dif- 
ferent feeling  in  the  stomachs  as  well  as  the 
hearts  of  these  men  to  have  a  good  meal, 
and  also  prospects  of  many  others  to  follow. 
Thus  their  welcome  to  the  Americans  was 
sincere  and  cordial,  their  greetings  most  po- 
lite. 

After  the  Cuban  forces  had  rested  here 
at  Siboney  for  a  short  while,  they  started  on 
their  march  to  the  westward,  toward  Santi- 
ago. The  day  that  General  Garcia  departed, 
while  we  knew  his  age  to  be  nearing  the  three 
score  and  ten  allotted  to  man,  he  strode 
forth  with  all  the  alertness  and  sprightliness 
with  which  he  commenced  his  first  fight  for 
liberty.  In  passing  along  the  many  trails 
which  led  to  the  American  outposts,  it  was 
not  an  infrequent  happening  to  meet  the 
Cuban  soldiery  moving  along  in  groups  of 
half  a  dozen  or  more,  some  loaded  with  food 
for  their  own  maintenance,  the  others  with 
cases  of  American  cartridges  for  food  for 
Spaniards.  Their  greeting  of  an  American 
was  always  so  cordial  as  to  make  him  feel 
entirely  at  home  with  them. 

It  often  occurred  to  me  that  I  might  easi- 
u 


86  CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 

ly  be  held  up  and  committed  to — the  Lord 
knows  where,  through  my  ignorance  of  the 
distinguishing  marks  between  the  Spanish 
and  Cuban  forces.  One  day  I  started  out  for 
the  outposts  of  the  Cuban  allies,  whither  I 
was  being  escorted  by  two  Cuban  soldiers 
who  were  not  out  of  their  teens,  but  who  had 
been  through  the  whole  war.  I  found  in  the 
course  of  our  conversation  that,  while  they 
hoped  and  truly  believed  that  our  forces 
would  be  ultimately  victorious,  they  could 
scarcely  credit  the  assertion  I  made  to  them 
that  in  as  many  weeks  as  they  had  spent 
years  in  this  war  we  would  be  occupying  San- 
tiago. 


CHAPTER  V. 

WITH    SHAFTER   AND    HIS    STAFF. 

I  follow  the  general  on  a  reconnoitering  expedition  in  the 
direction  of  Santiago,  and  photograph  the  graves  of  the 
Rough  Riders — From  the  summit  of  a  lofty  tree  I  get 
my  first  view  of  Santiago — A  tropical  storm  and  difficult 
roads  make  travelling  arduous — Where  the  Rough  Riders 
were  killed. 

THE  morning  after  my  arrival  at  Siboney 
I  left  the  steamship  Sylvia  bright  and  early 
and  landed  with  my  cameras  and  plates  and 
with  my  trusty  man  made  for  the  interior. 
We  tramped  along  through  the  thickets  and 
over  that  never-to-be-forgotten  hill  which 
runs  up  so  abruptly  at  the  back  of  Siboney. 
This  mountain,  I  should  imagine,  is  about  a 
mile  distant  from  the  coast,  and  it  is  very  pre- 
cipitous. We  passed  two  blockhouses  on  the 
way  up.  Near  the  first  was  the  spot  where 
brave  Captain  Capron  was  laid  to  rest.  This 
is  the  route  the  famous  Rough  Riders  took 

the  day  they  encountered  the  Spaniards  at 

87 


88  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

Las  Guasimas.  We  went  along  this  trail  for 
several  miles  before  we  came  to  the  camps 
of  the  different  regiments  now  moving  on 
Santiago.  This  trail  is  used  most  by  pedes- 
trians. We  understood  that  the  lower  trail 
down  through  the  valley  was  in  very  bad 
condition,  having  been  much  cut  up  by  the 
wagons  and  mule  trains  used  in  getting  sup- 
plies of  all  kinds  to  the  front. 

When  we  reached  Las  Guasimas,  we 
were  shown  the  graves  of  those  Rough 
Riders  who  had  been  killed  on  that  mem- 
orable day,  and  whose  bodies  were  there  laid 
at  rest.  I  made  photographs  of  these  graves, 
also  of  those  of  the  men  of  the  Tenth  and 
Eleventh  cavalry  regiments  who  had  been 
buried  near  by.  In  a  lovely  spot  just  be- 
yond this,  on  a  field  where  the  Rough  Riders 
had  been  fighting  a  day  or  two  previous, 
were  encamped  the  Ninth  and  Twenty-fourth 
Regiments  of  the  regular  United  States  in- 
fantry. It  was  here  that  the  boys  of  our 
regular  army  showed  themselves  to  be  true 
soldiers.  To  get  a  good  view  of  this  camp, 
it  was  necessary  for  me  to  get  some  sort  of 
elevation.  I  mentioned  the  fact  to  some  of 


WITH   SHAFTER   AND   HIS   STAFF.          89 

the  boys  who  were  standing  around,  and 
without  a  moment's  delay  a  large  limb  was 
broken  off  from  a  tree  near  by  and  placed 
on  the  shoulders  of  some  of  the  men,  and 
they  placed  me  on  the  top  of  it.  This  re- 
minded me  of  the  pyramid  building  for  which 
the  British  army  is  justly  renowned.  Upon 
this  living  pedestal  I  made  the  photographs 
of  the  camp.  I  passed  along  through  other 
camps,  when  I  encountered  the  military  road 
along  which  all  our  mule  and  supply  trains 
were  bound  to  go.  The  roads  were  in  a  ter- 
rible condition.  The  mud  reached  to  my 
knees  as  I  laboured  along  the  narrow  trails, 
in  which  there  was  a  strong  nauseating  odour 
exhaled  by  the  broken-down  cacti  and  other 
pungent-smelling  tropical  plants.  Occasion- 
ally we  came  to  a  small  stream,  which  always 
proved  a  welcome  sight,  as  it  afforded  an  op- 
portunity to  get  a  much  needed  drink. 

Just  before  reaching  Playa,  where  later 
on  General  Shafter  established  his  headquar- 
ters, we  came  to  a  point  which  gave  us  a 
very  good  view  of  the  city  of  Santiago. 
While  we  were  pausing  here  for  a  short  while, 
who  should  we  see  coming  in  the  distance 


9O  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

but  General  Shafter  and  his  staff.  Evidently 
they  were  on  a  reconnoitering  expedition. 
Lieutenant  Miley  was  riding  in  front  with 
General  Shafter.  The  general  was  mounted 
on  his  black  steed,  and  looked  very  fatigued. 
His  tunic  was  unbuttoned,  and  he  was  trav- 
elling at  a  not  very  fast  gait.  Here  is  where 
operations  commenced  for  me,  but,  confound 
it  all!  the  locality  was  not  suitable  for  good 
photographic  illustration — at  one  moment 
surrounded  by  high  trees  and  dense  tropical 
growth,  which  threw  everything  in  shadow; 
at  another  winding  through  a  narrow  road, 
which  did  not  permit  me  to  get  the  proper 
light.  This  continued  off  and  on  for  several 
miles.  The  sun  was  pouring  down  with  all 
the  intensity  usual  in  tropical  climes. 

The  general  was  evidently  bent  upon 
going  out  as  far  as  his  forces  had  advanced 
in  the  direction  of  Santiago.  I  followed  him 
for  several  miles,  once  in  a  while  getting  a 
"  shot  "  at  him,  yet  I  had  not  obtained  the 
picture  of  him  and  his  staff  which  I  so  much 
wanted.  I  was  practically  wasting  plates, 
but,  fearing  I  would  not  get  better  chances, 
took  what  I  could.  Soon  I  saw  a  stream 


WITH    SHAFTER   AND    HIS   STAFF.          gi 

a  short  distance  in  front  of  us  and  in  the  line 
of  progress.  I  made  a  wild  rush  to  gain  this 
stream  before  the  general  and  his  staff  got 
there.  I  knew  the  horses  would  want  to  wet 
their  whistles,  if  the  general  and  his  staff 
did  not.  I  gained  this  position  before  the 
general  did,  and  when  he  arrived  there,  true 
to  my  intuition,  there  was  a  halt  for  a  drink. 
The  general  allowed  his  horse  to  obtain  a 
liberal  supply,  and  took  one  himself  from  a 
friendly  canteen  handed  to  him  by  one  of  his 
staff.  I  followed  him  some  distance  farther, 
until  he  turned  in  to  what  later  on  became 
his  headquarters  at  Playa. 

It  was  here  that  I  felt  the  effects  of  the 
heat  and  exertion  I  had  just  undergone.  My 
men  caught  up  shortly  afterward,  and  we 
looked  a  sorry  lot — wet,  muddy,  and  bedrag- 
gled. We  halted  here  for  about  an  hour,  as 
the  midday  sun  does  not  give  a  good  light 
by  which  to  take  photographs.  We  seized 
the  opportunity  to  partake  of  a  little  lunch 
we  had  brought  along,  which  consisted  of 
sandwiches  and  a  half  dozen  bottles  of  gin- 
ger ale.  The  beverage  was  at  about  boiling 
point  when  we  opened  it,  and  we  were  glad 


§2  CANNON  AND  CAMERA. 

to  get  rid  of  the  weight  of  the  glass,  which 
we  had  been  burdened  with  while  travelling 
over  five  or  six  miles  of  this  almost  impassa- 
ble country. 

After  our  little  lunch,  we  proceeded  on 
toward  El  Pozo.  We  were  making  rapid 
progress  when  the  indications  of  a  thunder- 
storm appeared.  Great  rumblings  of  thunder 
and  vivid  flashes  and  streaks  of  lightning 
soon  followed.  Just  before  we  arrived  at 
the  river  in  front  of  the  old  sugar  house  at 
El  Pozo  the  storm  burst  in  all  its  rage  and 
fury.  We  halted  under  a  large  tree,  covered 
our  cameras  and  plates  with  a  rubber  blanket, 
and  allowed  our  clothing,  as  we  could  not  do 
otherwise,  to  get  drenched  through.  The 
storm  did  not  last  very  long,  and  we  soon 
proceeded  to  our  objective  point.  By  this 
time  the  condition  of  the  roads  was  terrible. 
We  tramped  along,  however,  as  best  we 
could,  determined  to  reach  the  spot  where 
we  had  been  told  we  could  get  a  fine  view 
of  Santiago.  We  came  to  a  river  already 
much  swollen,  and  its  stream  rushing  down 
in  torrents  from  the  hilltop.  Through  this 
we  were  obliged  to  wade  up  to  our  armpits, 


WITH    SHAFTER   AND    HIS    STAFF. 


93 


holding  our  cameras  and  plates  above  our 
heads.  When  we  reached  the  old  dilapidated 
fort,  we  fell  in  with  the  outpost  of  the  Cubans 
in  front  of  San  Juan.  Among  these  we  found 
a  bright  and  intelligent  young  fellow  who 
spoke  English  fluently.  He  told  us  that  the 
Spaniards,  two  or  three  days  previous  to  my 
arrival,  had  evacuated  this  fort  very  uncere- 
moniously. This  was  the  day  after  the  bat- 
tle with  the  Rough  Riders,  in  which,  being 
routed,  they  fell  back  on  their  main  forces, 
about  two  miles  in  the  rear. 

In  this  old  fort  was  a  bell  tower,  contain- 
ing a  finely  carved  bell.  Something  prompt- 
ed me  to  go  up  this  tower  and  examine  the 
bell.  Once  there,  an  impulse  seized  me  to 
ring  this  bell,  which  I  did,  with  an  alarming 
effect,  for  out  of  hiding  came  every  Cuban 
soldier  for  miles  and  miles,  all  wildly  gesticu- 
lating. I  realized  almost  immediately  that 
the  ringing  of  this  bell  was  a  preconcerted 
signal  for  assembling  in  mass  should  the  ene- 
my be  seen  to  advance.  I  shall  never  forget 
the  sight  as  long  as  I  live.  Of  course,  I  was 
admonished  for  what  I  had  done,  but  I  as- 
sured them  of  my  innocence  of  any  evil  in- 


94 


CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 


tent.  No  doubt  the  Spanish  pickets  within 
their  lines  heard  the  ringing,  and  wondered 
what  was  the  cause.  The  inscription  on  the 
bell  led  me  to  believe  that  it  was  presented 
by  some  society  in  Barcelona,  and  here  it 
was  strung  up  in  this  old  shanty  by  a  rude 
piece  of  chain!  I  made  my  wants  known  to 
several  Cubans  who  understood  English,  and 
told  them  I  sought  a  place  of  vantage  from 
which  I  could  see  the  fortifications  and  as 
much  more  of  Santiago  as  was  possible. 

They  told  me  that  by  going  a  quarter  of  a 
mile,  to  the  north,  up  a  high  mountain,  I  could 
see  the  city  plainly,  but  that  the  attempt  was 
dangerous,  as  it  was  beyond  the  picket  line 
of  the  Cubans,  and  I  would  be  exposed  to 
the  fire  of  the  Spanish  pickets.  I  told  them 
I  did  not  care  much  about  that,  and  that  if 
they  were  willing  to  show  me  the  way  I  was 
quite  willing  to  go.  Several  of  the  men  from 
the  Sixteenth  United  States  Infantry  had  ac- 
companied me  to  this  old  fort,  and  they  cor- 
dially volunteered  to  help  me  to  carry  my 
cameras  and  plates  up  this  high  mountain. 
Having  reached  its  top,  I  was  repaid  by  get- 
ting a  glorious  but  indistinct  view  of  Santi- 


12 


WITH    SHAFTER   AND    HIS   STAFF. 


95 


ago,  for  after  the  heavy  shower  through 
which  we  had  just  passed  the  ground  around 
was  soaked  with  water,  which  the  strong 
rays  of  the  sun  evaporated  in  the  form  of 
heavy  mists,  and  prevented  a  good  outline. 
At  the  top  of  this  hill  was  a  large  tree,  which  I 
ascended,  and,  placing  myself  in  one  of  its 
forked  branches  in  order  to  get  higher  than 
the  many  royal  palms  which  otherwise  would 
obstruct  the  view,  I  took  several  pictures. 
It  was  a  strange  coincidence  that  on  the  ist 
of  July,  when  our  batteries  took  their  posi- 
tions to  shell  the  fortifications  at  Santiago, 
this  place  was  where  Grimes's  battery  sta- 
tioned their  guns  and  shelled  the  Spanish  po- 
sition— right  under  this  tree  where  I  had 
planted  my  camera  and  made  photographs 
of  Santiago  three  days  previous.  Whether 
the  Spanish  forces  saw  us  or  not  I  am  un- 
able to  tell,  but,  if  so,  they  reserved  their 
ammunition  for  better  game,  and  we  returned 
to  the  old  fort  and  started  on  our  way  back 
to  Siboney. 

This  journey  from  El  Pozo  to  Siboney, 
be  it  understood,  is  between  nine  and  ten 
miles,  and  here  we  were  starting  on  it  at  four 


96  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  As  previously  re- 
lated, the  roads  were  in  a  sufficiently  bad 
condition  when  we  started,  but  what  could 
we  reasonably  expect  in  returning  after  that 
thunderstorm  ?  It  was  simply  stagnant 
swamp,  mud,  fetid  odours,  miasmatic  mists, 
and  biting  insects.  Our  clothes  were  wet 
through  and  we  began  to  get  chilled,  and, 
having  no  change  of  clothing,  we  had  to 
keep  on  the  move.  This  is  where  we  found 
the  camera  and  plates  rather  inconvenient 
burdens;  but  there  was  no  such  thing  as  a 
baggage-checking  room  near  by,  and  we  had 
to  swear  and  lug  them  along.  The  camera 
never  before  appeared  to  me  to  have  such 
weight;  it  seemed  to  have  changed  to  lead. 
We  tried  the  Cuban  fashion  of  bearing  bur- 
dens upon  our  heads.  I  perched  the  camera 
on  my  head  and  went  along  with  a  mind  as 
light  as  the  occasion  would  allow,  and  the 
occasion  would  not  permit  much  levity  in 
this  respect.  My  faithful  warriors  trailed 
behind,  bearing  the  plate  cases,  and  we  fol- 
lowed this  so-called  military  road  for  these 
nine  or  ten  dreary  miles  before  we  reached 
our  destination  at  Siboney.  At  times  the 


WITH    SHAFTER   AND   HIS   STAFF. 


97 


streams  we  crossed  would  reach  our  shoul- 
ders; at  other  times  our  trousers  showed  the 
tide-water  mark  of  the  mud,  which  was 
worse  than  that  yellow-dog  variety  which 
New  Jerseyites  know  so  well. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

ART    UNDER    DIFFICULTIES. 

In  the  dark  room  on  the  Sylvia — Quick  work  in  printing — 
Back  to  Santiago  again — A  despatch  boat's  devices. 

AFTER  our  arrival  at  Siboney  from  El 
Pozo,  we  signalled  to  the  Sylvia  for  a  boat 
to  take  us  aboard.  While  waiting  on  the  hot 
sand  for  the  boat  to  reach  the  shore,  and 
being  more  or  less  worried  with  insects  and 
land  crabs,  we  decided  to  utilize  our  time  be- 
fore the  boat  reached  the  wharf  in  taking  a 
sea  bath.  While  we  had  been  in  the  water 
all  day  more  or  less,  yet  this  had  the  novelty 
of  being  unmixed  with  mud,  and,  as  a  con- 
sequence, we  enjoyed  it.  After  we  had  been 
in  the  water  about  twenty  minutes,  we  saw 
our  boat  nearing  the  landing  place,  so  we 
got  out  and  dressed  as  hurriedly  as  circum- 
stances would  permit  and  put  off  to  the  Syl- 
via. We  were  helped  on  deck  in  a  condition 

more  or  less  careworn  and  dejected.      The 
98 


ART    UNDER   DIFFICULTIES. 


99 


steward  saw  our  condition,  and  gave  us  such 
cheer  as  lay  in  the  power  of  his  stores  (fluid 
and  solid),  for  it  was  not  long  before  we  were 
all  seated  at  the  cabin  table  enjoying  and 
doing  full  justice  to  a  hearty  meal. 

It  was  decided  that  we  should  put  off  for 
Port  Antonio  that  night,  so  as  to  mail  our 
photographs  next  day.  This  meant  that  we 
had  to  develop  the  plates  that  night.  As  I 
had  exposed  about  three  dozen  six-by-ten 
plates,  this  was  by  no  means  a  small  matter, 
but,  after  we  had  taken  care  of  the  inner 
man,  we  proceeded  to  the  dark  room. 

Now  my  dark  room  was  a  rather  impro- 
vised affair,  but  at  the  same  time  it  was  quite 
convenient.  We  had  taken  the  spacious 
second-cabin  dining  room  of  the  Sylvia  and 
fixed  it  up  to  answer  the  purpose  of  a  dark 
room.  We  had  darkened  all  the  windows 
with  red  muslin,  put  up  an  electric  fan,  and 
fitted  up  tables  and  baths  and  made  other 
arrangements  for  developing,  until  we  had  a 
place  which  would  do  credit  to  many  studios 
in  New  York;  but,  as  we  had  not  given 
thought  to  the  changed  conditions  brought 
about  by  the  fickleness  of  the  surface  of  the 


IOO  CANNON  AND   CAMERA. 

Caribbean  Sea,  we  found  the  work  no  easy 
matter,  for  no  sooner  had  we  cleared  the  lee 
afforded  by  the  land  of  the  island  of  Cuba 
than  we  encountered  a  nasty  choppy  sea. 
While  the  Sylvia  was  a  good  steady,  stanch, 
reliable  kind  of  an  old  boat,  this  was  an  oc- 
casion when  we  most  needed  a  steady  plat- 
form to  work  on,  but  the  steamer  rolled  and 
plunged  and  tossed  in  a  manner  most  exas- 
perating. 

I  was  shut  up  in  this  dark  room,  and  the 
plates  were  rolling  around  in  my  developing 
tray  until  really  I  could  not  tell  whether  I 
had  a  single  one  or  a  double  one,  but  I  man- 
aged with  the  means  at  hand  and  the  help 
of  my  able  assistants  to  keep  these  plates 
from  sliding  over  one  another  and  destroy- 
ing the  films.  But,  as  we  had  a  large  num- 
ber to  develop,  it  took  a  considerable  time. 
However,  the  time  was  well  occupied  during 
the  three  hours  in  which  I  was  busy  in  the 
dark  room.  I  really  think  the  novelty  of  this 
exercise  buoyed  me  up  more  than  anything 
else  would  have  done,  as  I  was  thinking  all 
the  time  of  the  difference  there  was  between 
developing  plates  here  and  in  my  dark  room 


ART   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES.  IOI 

in  New  York  city.  However,  just  as  soon 
as  the  work  of  development  was  completed, 
I  made  my  way  out  as  quickly  as  possible, 
but  during  my  stay  in  there  it  was  one  of  the 
most  trying  times  I  had  experienced  that 
far.  I  was  glad  enough  to  get  through  with 
the  developing  and  out  on  deck,  where  I 
could  throw  myself  on  my  back  in  a  con- 
venient hammock.  This  condition  of  mine 
was  not  reflected  in  my  hale  and  hearty  as- 
sistant, who  had  a  short  clay  pipe  stuck  in  his 
mouth,  smoking  with  a  coolness  that  was  pro- 
voking. Seasickness  has  been  one  of  my 
greatest  tribulations  in  the  performance  of 
marine  work,  and  I  have  anything  but  a  pleas- 
ant time  during  the  hours  spent  afloat  during 
the  yacht  races,  or  when  photographing  the 
fleet  evolutions  of  the  White  Squadron.  On 
several  such  occasions  I  have  found  myself 
out  on  a  small  tug  outside  Sandy  Hook,  the 
boat  wallowing  and  pitching,  dipping  her 
rails  under  water  at  each  roll,  while  I  have 
been  clinging  to  some  rope  or  stanchion. 
But  the  moment  the  cry  was  raised  that  the 
yacht  which  I  was  out  there  to  photograph 
was  in  a  splendid  position  and  ready  to  turn 


102  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

the  stake,  I  felt  like  a  man  once  more,  and, 
camera  in  hand,  waited  for  the  chance  of 
taking  her  when  she  looked  prettiest. 
"  Snap!  "  went  the  shutter,  my  work  was  ac- 
complished, and  somebody  else  might  attend 
to  the  slide,  for  I  had  done  my  bit.  I  have 
gone  through  this  operation  more  than  fifty 
times  on  a  tug  in  one  day  during  the  races 
between  the  Valkyrie  and  the  Defender,  so 
therefore  it  was  nothing  new  to  me  on  this 
occasion  to  be  in  the  same  condition. 

As  soon  as  the  photographic  work  had 
been  accomplished,  I  betook  myself  to  a  con- 
venient place  on  deck  for  rest  and  awaited 
until  we  could  get  ashore;  then,  when  I  had 
planted  my  feet  on  terra  firma,  every  ill  feel- 
ing left  me,  and  I  was  as  bright  as  when  I 
stepped  on  board.  I  think  to  my  seasickness 
is  to  be  credited  my  freedom  from  illness 
of  any  kind  in  Cuba  and  since  my  return. 
While  in  Cuba  and  with  the  forces  for  four 
or  five  weeks,  I  did  not  experience  one  day 
of  fever  nor  was  I  otherwise  affected  except 
with  slight  diarrhoea.  As  I  have  previously 
stated,  I  had  a  goodly  supply  of  quinine  and 
protected  myself  with  a  stomach  band,  and 


ART    UNDER   DIFFICULTIES. 


103 


whenever  I  could  I  changed  my  under- 
clothing. While  the  rest  of  our  party  were 
afflicted,  in  some  cases  very  severely  with 
malarial  fever  and  other  ills,  I  escaped  all 
such. 

We  arrived  at  Port  Antonio  early  next 
morning,  when  my  negatives  were  all  dried 
and  ready  for  printing.  Printing  in  this  cli- 
mate and  on  a  boat  is  delightful  work.  One 
does  not  have  to  choose  the  glaring  sun  of 
the  tropics  to  print  by,  as  one  can  take  the 
shady  side  of  the  deck  and  print  in  beauti- 
fully diffused  light.  This  enabled  us  to  get 
off  fine,  clear  prints.  The  paper  and  the 
plates  which  I  took  along  acted  very  nicely 
with  careful  manipulation,  and  I  can  say  that 
I  did  not  have  one  case  of  "  frilling  "  either 
with  plates  or  paper  in  the  whole  expedition. 
This  is  remarkable.  As  we  had  a  large  sup- 
ply of  ice  and  other  facilities  on  board,  it 
was  possible  for  us  to  do  a  large  amount  of 
work  in  a  small  space  of  time.  That  day  we 
sent  by  the  Boston  Fruit  Company's  steamer 
the  first  set  of  prints  made  on  this  expedi- 
tion. 

After  our  stay  in  Port  Antonio,  in  order 
13 


104  CANNON    AND    CAMERA. 

to  get  off  the  photographs  and  telegraphic 
reports,  as  well  as  to  replenish  our  store  of 
ice,  fruit,  and  fresh  meats,  we  put  back  again 
to  Cuba.  On  the  return  trip  the  Caribbean 
Sea  was  in  a  more  gentle  mood,  and  permit- 
ted me  to  enjoy  a  mild  degree  of  liberty.  On 
this  expedition  we  had  made  the  ship's  crew 
more  or  less  a  part  of  our  party,  for  we  were 
all  working  together  for  one  end,  and  that 
was  to  do  the  work  we  had  in  hand  in  the 
shortest  possible  time  and  in  the  most  thor- 
ough manner  possible  under  the  circum- 
stances. From  cabin  boy  to  captain  all  were 
working  with  a  will  to  get  the  most  out  of 
the  ship  when  it  was  needed,  and  the  most 
out  of  our  opportunities  of  pleasure  that 
could  be  had.  Be  it  remembered  that  the 
work  of  a  despatch  boat  is  not  easy  in  time 
of  war,  for  every  minute  she  is  under  way 
she  is  running  at  her  best,  so  that  the  de- 
spatches which  are  sent  home  may  not  be 
behind  any  others  in  appearing  in  print  in 
the  United  States.  Indeed,  Mr.  Hearst's 
aim  was  to  lead  the  other  newspapers  in  this 
respect  of  furnishing  the  news,  so  when  we 
received  despatches  from  our  correspondents 


ART    UNDER   DIFFICULTIES. 


105 


at  the  front  they  had  to  be  taken  to  the  near- 
est point  at  which  we  could  get  the  use  of  a 
cable  to  the  States.  To  that  end  we  all 
worked,  and  worked  with  a  will. 

The  night  passed  without  any  occurrence 
worthy  of  remark,  and  the  following  morning 
we  came  up  with  the  blockading  squadron 
off  Morro  Castle  at  Santiago. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

BOMBARDMENT    OF    MORRO    CASTLE. 

The  Sylvia  in  the  thick  of  the  fight — A  visit  to  a  wounded 
war  correspondent  on  the  Olivette. 

WHEN  we  arrived  near  the  blockading 
squadron,  a  happy  thought  struck  one  of  the 
newspaper  men  on  board  who  wanted  to  get 
near  to  the  Texas.  A  few  days  previous  a 
rival  newspaper  despatch  boat,  which  had 
been  the  recipient  of  certain  courtesies  with 
which  we  had  not  been  favoured,  had  been 
carrying  minor  telegrams  from  one  point  or 
another  to  the  flagship,  and  she  was  in  the 
habit  of  sailing  in  among  the  fleet  with  an 
air  of  importance,  and  displaying  the  signal, 
"  We  have  despatches  for  the  admiral." 
This,  of  course,  prevented  the  vessels  of  the 
fleet  from  making  her  come  to  outside,  and 
enabled  her  to  get  in  close  proximity  to  the 
flagship  to  deliver  or  make  known  the  com- 
munications contained  in  the  despatches. 

106 


BOMBARDMENT   OF    MORRO   CASTLE. 


107 


Before  leaving  Port  Antonio  we  had 
taken  in  a  large  supply  of  fresh  fruit,  includ- 
ing a  large  quantity  of  bananas,  so  it  oc- 
curred to  one  of  our  very  alert  and  original 
newspaper  men  that  we  should  hoist-  the  sig- 
nal, "  We  have  bananas  for  the  Texas  on 
board."  This  suggestion  we  acted  upon,  and 
our  vessel  was  permitted  to  glide  in  without 
interference  among  the  vessels  of  the  squad- 
ron until  we  reached  the  Texas,  which  was  in 
an  excellent  position.  Once  alongside  the 
good  ship  Texas,  Captain  Philip  hailed  us 
with  delight,  accepted  our  little  gift  with 
many  thanks,  and  told  us  that  a  bombard- 
ment was  to  take  place  very  shortly.  We 
thought  ourselves  in  great  luck  at  receiv- 
ing this  news,  and  we  made  outside  the  lines, 
keeping  as  near  to  the  squadron  as  we  were 
permitted. 

The  bombardment  commenced  about 
eight  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  ships 
assumed  a  crescent-shaped  formation,  and 
moved  toward  the  shore  at  a  good  rate  of 
speed.  There  was  the  New  York,  the  Indi- 
ana, the  Texas,  the  Brooklyn,  the  New  Or- 
leans, the  Massachusetts,  the  Iowa,  the  Ore- 


108  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

gon,  and  several  of  the  auxiliary  cruisers 
which  were  close  in  shore.  Signals  were  set 
on  the  flagship  New  York  as  to  the  course 
to  steer  and  the  work  to  be  done.  It  was 
learned  that  on  the  preceding  night  the  Ve- 
suvius had  shelled  Morro  Castle  with  two  or 
three  of  her  dynamite  projectiles  and,  as  we 
understood,  had  created  great  havoc,  and  it 
was  determined  to  give  the  Morro  a  few 
more  American  projectiles.  When  within  a 
range  of  about  two  thousand  yards,  the 
Iowa  opened  fire,  keeping  up  a  good  speed, 
followed  by  the  other  ships  in  good  order. 
The  fire  was  returned  from  the  batteries  on 
both  sides  of  the  Morro,  until  everything  was 
smothered  from  view  in  an  atmosphere  of 
sulphur-laden  smoke.  Shells  were  flying 
thick  and  fast,  and  how  in  the  world  those 
gunners  could  see  the  marks  at  which  they 
were  aiming  is  positively  unknown  to  me. 

As  soon  as  the  firing  began,  it  was  taken 
up  with  great  rapidity  by  the  Morro  and 
other  batteries  on  both  sides  of  the  bay.  I 
shall  never  forget  my  first  impression  of  one 
of  these  floating  monsters  of  destruction  in 
action.  Circling  with  a  speed  which  was  re- 


BOMBARDMENT   OF    MORRO   CASTLE. 


109 


markable  considering  the  choppy  sea,  their 
firing  was  wonderful.  There  was  a  constant 
cloud  of  earth  and  stone  work  flying  into  the 
air  from  the  fortifications  on  shore.  The  fir- 
ing continued  until  at  last  the  flag  of  Spain — 
that  yellow  and  red  emblem  of  gore  and  gold 
— was  knocked  to  smithereens  from  the  ram- 
parts of  Morro.  A  day  or  so  previous  to  this 
bombardment  Admiral  Sampson  had  sent  in, 
under  the  protection  of  a  flag  of  truce,  one 
of  the  officers  from  the  flagship  to  ascertain 
the  whereabouts  of  Lieutenant  Hobson  and 
his  brave  men,  who  on  June  3d  sank  the 
Merrimac.  Admiral  Cervera  sent  word  back 
that  they  had  been  placed  in  the  interior  of 
the  town  in  a  hospital  which  was  protected 
from  the  shells  that  might  be  fired  at  Morro. 
After  having  learned  this,  Admiral  Sampson 
decided  upon  doing  a  little  destructive  work 
upon  Morro,  and  he  then  made  his  plans  of 
attack.  At  every  shot  almost  some  object 
would  fly  into  the  air,  which  we  through  our 
glasses  concluded  to  be  either  men  or  guns 
hurled  from  their  positions. 

During  the  bombardment  the  Sylvia  had 
run  along  with  the  American  fleet  and  kept 


HO  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

edging  in  a  little  closer,  so  that  I  might  get 
some  good  pictures  of  this  bombardment, 
until  we  were  in  the  line  of  fire  from  the  guns 
of  the  fleet.  Shells  came  whistling  over  us 
in  considerable  numbers.  We  were  deter- 
mined to  get  something  great  on  this  oppor- 
tune occasion.  I  was  seated  in  the  bow  of 
the  Sylvia  with  my  eleven-by-fourteen  camera 
ready  to  make  any  photographs  that  might 
be  desired  in  case  any  of  our  vessels  should 
get  seriously  injured,  for  it  was  absolutely 
impossible  to  get  pictures  of  any  consequence 
at  this  time,  for  we  were  not  only  blocked 
out  by  the  large  volumes  of  smoke  issuing 
from  the  guns  of  the  American  ships,  but  it 
was  impossible  to  get  an  image  of  any  size 
of  this  bombardment  at  such  long  range. 
We  were  cautioned  once  or  twice  to  keep 
out  of  the  line  of  fire,  but,  as  we  were  deter- 
mined to  stay  as  long  as  we  could,  we  let 
this  advice  go  by  unheeded  until  ordered 
peremptorily  by  one  of  the  American  cap- 
tains to  get  out  of  the  way. 

At  one  time  we  were  in  danger  of  being 
hit  ourselves,  for  several  large  shells  landed 
quite  close  to  our  boat.  One  shell  in  particu- 


BOMBARDMENT   OF    MORRO   CASTLE,     m 

lar,  which  seemed  to  be  an  eleven-inch  shell, 
struck  the  water  not  more  than  one  hundred 
yards  from  our  starboard  quarter,  ricochet- 
ted,  and,  passing  over  our  ship,  landed 
two  hundred  feet  beyond  us.  It  was  then 
that  we  received  the  peremptory  order  to 
move  away  and  get  out  of  range  at  once. 
Mr.  Hearst  reluctantly  ordered  the  captain 
of  the  Sylvia  to  pull  out.  After  this  we  lay 
around  for  some  time  and  watched  this  mag- 
nificent sight,  but  with  no  results  in  the  way 
of  pictorial  illustration  of  the  happenings. 
Had  I  been  on  one  of  the  small  converted 
gunboats,  the  Vixen  or  the  Suwanee,  which 
were  close  in  shore,  I  no  doubt  would  have 
obtained  some  very  interesting  photographs 
of  what  happened  to  the  fortifications  when 
the  Yankee  shells  landed. 

After  this  bombardment  we  returned  to 
Siboney,  where,  after  developing  the  plates 
taken,  I  took  our  launch  and  went  to  visit 
Mr.  Edward  Marshall,  who  had  been  taken 
on  board  the  Olivette  the  previous  day.  Mr. 
Marshall  is  the  brave  correspondent  of  the 
New  York  Journal  who  was  severely  shot  in 
the  battle  which  brought  fame  to  the  Rough 


112  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

Riders  at  Las  Guasimas.  As  he  was  a  per- 
sonal friend  of  mine,  and  as  I  had  narrowly 
missed  being  his  companion  on  that  occasion 
when  he  received  his  wound,  I  felt  a  great  in- 
terest in  his  welfare,  and  went  with  some  fruit 
and  iced  delicacies,  together  with  a  note  from 
Mr.  Creelman. 

When  I  reached  the  side  of  the  Olivette, 
I  was  invited  on  board  and  conducted  to  the 
cot  occupied  by  Mr.  Marshall.  I  approached 
with  a  feeling  of  tenderness  and  sympathy,  as 
I  knew  the  terrible  ordeal  through  which  he 
had  passed.  As  soon  as  he  saw  me  his  face 
lit  up  with  joy,  and  he  bade  me  welcome.  I 
told  him  I  had  a  few  small  things  for  him, 
together  with  the  note.  He  thanked  me,  and 
begged  me  to  read  the  note  to  him,  as  it 
would  distress  him  too  much  to  move.  I 
read  the  note  of  Mr.  Creelman,  and  its  con- 
tents in  the  light  of  later  happenings  seem 
prophetic.  As  near  as  I  remember  the 
words,  Mr.  Creelman's  note  contained  the 
following: 

"  MY  DEAR  MARSHALL:  Cheer  up,  old 
man!  I  hear  you  have  been  trying  to  stop 


BOMBARDMENT   OF    MORRO   CASTLE.      113 

Spanish  bullets,  and  were  successful.  I  trust 
you  have  .passed  the  worst,  and  that  you  may 
never  again  experience  what  you  did  in  the 
battle  with  the  Rough  Riders  at  Las  Gua- 
simas.  I  trust  you  may  have  a  speedy  re- 
covery. Keep  up  a  good  heart,  and  reserve 
the  cot  next  to  yours  for  me,  as  I  may  be 
with  you  before  long.  I  am,  etc." 

This  remark  proved  to  be  prophetic,  for 
in  the  first  day  of  the  next  battle  Mr.  Creel- 
man  was  wounded  very  severely  while  enter- 
ing the  blockhouse  at  El  Caney  and  hauling 
down  the  Spanish  flag.  He  was  carried  to 
the  Olivette  and  placed  on  the  cot  next  Mr. 
Marshall's.  Chums  in  time  of  peace,  they 
occupied  adjoining  cots  in  a  time  of  mutual 
distress. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

AMONG    THE    CUBAN    PICKETS. 

Warfare  of  Cubans  and  Spaniards — Our  men  surprised  while 
bathing — A  battle  in  undress — We  repulse  the  attack — 
Disguises  and  ambushes. 

AFTER  shelling  the  shore  batteries  and 
the  blockhouses  at  Guantanamo,  the  navy 
sent  a  landing  party  ashore  from  the  ships. 
These  men  were  landed  in  quite  an  unknown 
region.  Just  behind  the  high  ridge  of  moun- 
tains which  skirted  the  shore  portions  of  the 
Spanish  forces  were  encountered.  During 
the  shelling  of  Guantanamo  the  Spaniards  fell 
back  and  concentrated  their  forces  at  a  point 
not  far  removed  from  the  landing  place. 

The  method  of  warfare  with  which  our 
soldiers  were  here  opposed  was  quite  novel 
and  very  destructive.  The  Spanish  soldiers 
—and  the  Cubans,  too — practise  the  same 
means  of  deception.  They  cover  themselves 

with  large  palm  leaves  or  other  dense  foliage, 
114 


Copyright,  1898,  by  W.  R.  Hearst. 


A  scout  hiding  under  palm  leaves. 


AMONG   THE   CUBAN    PICKETS.  115 

and  in  many  instances  they  tie  large  portions 
of  the  high  grass  around  their  bodies  so  as 
to  prevent  detection.  By  this  means  they 
effectually  disguise  themselves,  and  by 
stealthy  crouching  come  into  close  quarters 
with  the  enemy  before  detection.  While  the 
palm  trees  offer  no  protection,  they  take  all 
they  can  from  other  trees,  such  as  the  mango 
and  others  of  a  low  bushy  habit.  They  hide 
themselves  in  the  branches  and  obtain  an 
elevated  view,  from  which  it  is  easy  for  them 
to  get  a  range  of  a  mile  or  a  mile  and  a  half. 
It  must  be  understood — and  it  is  a  fact 
not  appreciated  by  most  Americans — that 
the  trials  of  our  forces  in  this  campaign  were 
not  few.  It  was  not  like  the  war  of  1861, 
where  open  fields  and  large  plains  of  prac- 
tically flat  country  were  the  battle  grounds 
of  the  contending  armies.  In  Cuba,  warfare 
was  on  different  lines,  for  there  the  fighting 
was  conducted  in  a  rolling  country,  at  times 
swampy,  and  covered  with  tropical  jungles. 
At  one  time  the  men  would  be  fighting  on 
the  side  of  a  mountain,  and  the  following  day 
they  would  be  contending  in  the  valley  below, 
so  that  it  can  be  seen  that  the  advantage  of 


Il6  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

open  fighting  was  not  had  by  our  men  in  this 
Cuban  campaign. 

Many  of  our  soldiers  were  killed  for  want 
of  knowledge  of  the  ordinary  jungle  tactics 
of  the  Spaniards.  As  soon  as  our  troops 
had  established  themselves  and  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  Cuban  forces,  they  were 
informed  as  to  the  mode  of  warfare  to  be  ex- 
pected when  they  reached  the  Spaniards. 
One  might  be  taking  a  comfortable  stroll, 
and  thinking  of  anything  but  the  nearness 
of  the  enemy,  when  suddenly  there  would  be 
a  crack  of  a  rifle,  and  a  "  ping  "  in  the  air 
made  one  aware  that  somebody  was  trying 
to  touch  him.  This  often  occurred,  and  in 
some  instances  he  would  find  himself  con- 
fronted by  a  long  range  of  skirmishers.  The 
advantage  the  enemy  had  with  their  smoke- 
less powder  and  their  training  in  this  guerilla- 
like  warfare  placed  odds  on  their  side.  One 
could  not  possibly  get  the  vaunted  soldiery 
of  Spain  to  come  out  into  the  open.  They 
concealed  themselves  behind  large  rocks  and 
the  roots  of  trees,  and  in  other  ways  sought  to 
hide,  until  it  was  almost  impossible  to  de- 
tect them  until  one  was  upon  them. 


AMONG   THE   CUBAN    PICKETS.  117 

It  was  at  Guantanamo,  on  a  beautiful 
afternoon  after  our  men  had  been  suddenly 
surprised  while  taking  a  pleasant  bath  in  the 
sea,  that  they  were  called  upon  to  defend 
their  lives  against  an  attacking  force  of  Span- 
iards. They  fought  without  uniforms  or  any- 
thing to  protect  them  from  the  rays  of  the 
sun,  simply  coming  out  of  the  water,  grab- 
bing their  rifles  and  cartridge  belts,  and 
going  into  the  fray  in  undress  uniform  such 
as  had  never  been  worn  by  civilized  troops 
in  any  other  engagement.  They  repulsed 
the  enemy,  with  heavy  loss  on  both  sides. 

After  this  skirmish  was  over  our  men 
were  sent  out  the  following  day  to  find  and 
bring  to  camp  the  bodies  of  any  of  our  sol- 
diers that  were  killed,  in  order  that  they 
might  have  the  benefit  of  burial.  After  con- 
siderable search,  they  found  the  bodies  of 
the  marines  who  were  killed  in  this  action, 
and,  despite  all  reports  to  the  contrary  from 
officials  of  the  army  and  navy,  I  have  reason 
to  believe  that  these  bodies  had  been  muti- 
lated. 

When  the  dead  had  been  gathered  in  and 
prepared  for  interment,  Chaplain  Jones  was 


Il8  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

called  upon  to  officiate.  When  the  service 
was  almost  completed,  the  burial  party  were 
suddenly  fired  upon  by  the  Spanish  pickets. 
The  bullets  were  whistling  loud  and  flying 
thick,  and  the  squad  of  men  detailed  to  pay 
the  last  honours  to  the  remains  of  these  he- 
roes were  compelled  to  turn  from  this  office 
of  love  to  defend  themselves  from  the  ene- 
my's attack.  Our  men  at  first  had  to  retreat 
toward  the  shore,  in  order  to  gain  a  pro- 
tected position.  Firing  followed  from  one 
or  two  of  our  boats  in  Guantanamo  Bay, 
which  shelled  the  Spaniards  out  from  their 
places  of  hiding. 

In  marching  from  Guantanamo  to  Sibo- 
ney,  our  troops  became  thoroughly  acquaint- 
ed with  the  character  of  the  country  in  which 
they  had  to  do  their  fighting.  The  Cuban 
pickets  and  scouts  who  accompanied  our 
forces  gave  our  men  much  valuable  informa- 
tion. They  explained  to  them  the  unwritten 
tactics  of  guerilla  warfare  as  carried  on  by 
the  Spaniards  and  Cubans.  It  is  hard  to  say 
which  is  the  more  expert  at  this  type  of  fight- 
ing. In  travelling  through  this  wild  country 
one  came  upon  a  thicket  or  a  clump  of  trees, 


AMONG   THE    CUBAN    PICKETS.  119 

and  saw  secreted  therein,  so  as  to  be  scarcely 
discernible,  two  posts  driven  into  the  ground 
and  covered  over  by  a  piece  of  canvas,  or  in 
some  instances  roofed  over  by  branches  and 
covered  with  palm  leaves.  These  served  as 
tents,  and  had  the  advantage  when  a  move- 
ment to  advance  or  retreat  was  to  be  made 
of  not  being  burdensome  to  transport,  as  they 
were  not  removed,  being  easily  obtainable 
at  any  stage  of  the  journey. 

In  some  instances  one  suddenly  came  to 
a  stream  of  water  running  through  some  val- 
ley between  high  mountains,  and  in  the  banks 
on  each  side  of  the  stream  one  saw  large 
holes  or  caves  which  had  been  dug  there. 
These  proved  to  be  very  cool,  and  hence  de- 
sirable retreats  and  hiding  places  for  the 
Spanish  soldiery.  For  miles  one  travelled 
without  the  sign  of  a  bird,  without  sight  of 
any  living  creature  except  the  detestable 
land  crabs.  The  soil  is  very  sandy  and  easy 
to  dig,  and  holes  are  numerous  along  the 
roads.  In  travelling  in  the  dark  one  often 
stumbled,  and  startled  thereby  a  number  of 
land  crabs,  which  at  once  ran  off  through 
the  brush,  making  the  same  kind  of  noise  as 


120  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

a  guerilla  fighter  would.  You  felt  at  first  as 
though  one  of  these  was  about  to  confront 
you  with  a  drawn  machete  or  point  a  rifle  at 
you,  and  were  agreeably  surprised  to  find 
that  it  was  only  one  of  those  noisome  crabs. 

There  is  a  certain  type  of  bird  to  be  found 
in  the  country  here  which  makes  a  cooing 
noise  not  unlike  that  of  a  turtle  dove.  The 
Spaniards  have  become  so  adept  in  imitating 
the  call  of  these  birds  that  it  is  impossible 
to  note  the  difference.  The  blockhouses 
established  all  through  this  mountainous 
country  are  all  in  sight  of  each  other  for  miles 
around,  and  these  men  have  established  a 
code  of  signals  based  upon  the  calls  of  the 
birds  to  which  I  have  referred,  and  by  means 
of  these  signals  they  can  communicate  with- 
out exposure  of  their  persons  or  detection. 
This  method  of  communication  was  used  by 
the  Spanish  pickets  when  the  Rough  Riders 
were  making  their  approach  toward  Las 
Guasimas  on  June  24th.  They  had  also  been 
quite  busily  engaged  all  over  that  part  of 
the  country  from  Siboney  to  Santiago  in 
establishing  strong  and  heavy  barb-wire 
fences.  These  fences  were  a  great  aid  to 


Copyright,  1898,  by  W.  R.  Hearst. 

First  blockhouse  at  Siboney,  where  the  American  flag 
was  hoisted. 


AMONG   THE    CUBAN    PICKETS.  J2I 

them  and  an  impediment  to  our  troops  in 
many  instances. 

In  travelling  along  a  road  or  a  trail,  as 
we  might  call  it,  possibly  fifteen  feet  wide, 
the  banks  of  the  road  would  rise  some  three 
or  four  feet,  when  they  would  be  topped  off 
with  this  barb-wire  fencing.  It  practically 
ran  all  over,  in  and  around  this  country. 

The  blockhouses  of  which  I  have  spoken 
are  great  institutions  of  their  kind.  I  first 
became  acquainted  with  these  in  my  trip 
through  the  province  of  Matanzas.  They  are 
erected  in  square  form  of  railroad  ties  or  tim- 
bers, leaving  a  space  between  the  timbers 
for  pointing  rifles,  the  space  being  filled  in 
with  rocks  and  other  waste  material,  which 
makes  them  practically  bullet  proof.  In  front 
and  around  these  blockhouses  several  lines 
of  intrenchments  and  barb-wire  fences  are 
erected,  which  make  it  very  hard  for  troops 
to  take  them  by  charge  or  assault,  and  the 
only  manner  by  which  they  can  be  quickly 
demolished  is  by  heavy  field  artillery. 

This  is  the  branch  of  the  service  which 
played  an  important  part  during  the  cam- 
paign. Wherever  a  house  or  other  shelter  is 


122  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

found  sufficient  to  conceal  fifty  or  one  hun- 
dred men,  they  make  it  their  headquarters, 
and  they  have  a  peculiar  way  of  slinging  ham- 
mocks which  would  have  been  a  salvation  for 
some  of  our  troops  if  they  had  done  likewise. 
The  men  go  on  picket  duty  twice  daily. 
There  is  no  ceremony  worth  considering,  and 
it  seemed  to  me  it  was  a  matter  of  choice 
among  them  as  to  who  should  go  and  who 
should  not.  Fathers  and  sons  I  found  to- 
gether in  the  Cuban  army.  The  sons  in  some 
instances  had  but  reached  the  middle  of  their 
teens,  but  they  were  equally  expert  in  the 
use  of  the  machete  and  rifle  as  their  male 
parent. 

These  people  have  become  quite  expert 
in  disguising  themselves.  Take,  for  instance, 
this  case:  A  couple  of  men  will  be  out  on 
picket  duty,  and  you  will  come  along  and 
see  in  the  distance  the  dusky  stump  of  an 
old  rotten  tree  which  has  succumbed  to  the 
storms  and  winds  of  this  land  of  hurricanes. 
When  you  approach  close  and  examine  the 
place,  it  will  be  found  to  contain  two  or  three 
of  these  pickets.  What  little  clothing  they 
have  on  is  of  a  dirty  slate  colour,  and  it  is 


AMONG   THE   CUBAN    PICKETS. 


123 


hard  to  find  a  Cuban  who  will  admit  that  he 
has  ever  washed  himself.  They  travel  with- 
out shoes  of  any  kind,  and  they  so  closely  re- 
semble the  bark  of  a  royal  palm  or  the  stump 
of  an  old  dead  tree  in  colour  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  recognise  a  native  unless  you  are 
very  close  to  him. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

THE   MULE   IN   THE   CAMPAIGN. 

Pack  trains  and  their  drivers — Transporting  stores  and  ammu- 
nition— The  mule  confirms  his  reputation  for  wisdom. 

AMONG  the  most  interesting  and  pic- 
turesque scenes  that  met  my  eyes  were  the 
mule  pack  trains  organized  to  carry  muni- 
tions and  provisions  for  the  Fifth  Army 
Corps.  I  scarcely  think  the  mule  has  been 
recognised  and  given  due  credit  for  the  ex- 
cellent service  it  has  rendered  in  this  class 
of  work.  The  mule  is  a  very  intelligent  ani- 
mal when  properly  handled.  Regular  mule 
packers  were  engaged  to  take  charge  of 
them,  and  they  were  sent  to  Santiago  for 
this  purpose.  They  came  from  the  wild  and 
woolly  West,  and  were  whole-souled,  jolly, 
and  also  adept  swearers.  The  feature  which 
these  men  most  glory  in  is  their  capacity 
for  cursing,  and  it  seems  as  though  the  mules 

understand    every    blessed    word    they    say. 
124 


THE    MULE    IN   THE    CAMPAIGN.  125 

Their  sonorous  "  Whoopla!  "  and  shrill  whis- 
tle bring  the  mule  to  time  in  every  instance. 
These  men  are  mounted  on  strong  broncho 
ponies,  with  ropes  dangling  around  them  in 
the  fashion  most  affected  by  the  cowboy.  A 
large  black  snake  whip,  which  they  use  with 
great  dexterity,  completes  their  outfit.  They 
go  along,  whooping  and  yelling,  in  a  man- 
ner that  is  at  once  pleasing  and  picturesque. 
With  a  train  composed  of  fifty  mules 
there  will  be  perhaps  six  or  eight  of  these 
cowboys  as  packers.  The  front  or  leading 
mule  is  provided  with  a  bell  similar  in  ap- 
pearance and  volume  of  tone  to  that  hung 
round  the  neck  of  the  old  cow  in  the  meadow. 
The  other  mules  follow  in  single  file  behind 
this  leader,  and  you  can  not  break  them  up. 
It  is  amusing  in  travelling  with  one  of  these 
mule  trains  to  watch  the  course  the  mules 
pursue.  While  one  mule  will  elect  to  travel 
the  soft,  mushy,  watery  part  of  the  road,  the 
one  following  will  turn  directly  out  of  this 
path  and  look  for  a  dry  foothold.  It  is 
seldom  that  these  mules  stumble  or  fall, 
even  though  their  load  of  ammunition  is 
weighty.  They  go  along  at  a  good  pace, 


126  CANNON    AND    CAMERA. 

travelling  at  the  rate  of  five  to  eight  miles 
an  hour. 

It  is  amusing  to  see  them  when  they 
come  to  a  stream  of  water.  They  all  make 
a  break  and  get  tangled  up,  and  yet  as  soon 
as  the  packer  gives  his  war  whoop  off  goes 
the  mule  with  the  bell,  and  the  others  follow 
in  Indian  file  and  soldierly  precision.  Once 
in  a  while  some  foxy  old  mule  sees  a  bit  of 
particularly  green  and  tempting  grass  just 
out  of  the  path,  and  starts  out  to  get  a  good 
bunch  of  it,  when  along  comes  Bill  with  his 
snake  whip  and  a  yell  of  "  What  you  doin' 
thar,  mule?  "  and  off  goes  the  mule,  for  he 
knows  that  to  linger  is  to  tempt  a  touching 
up  from  the  tip  of  Bill's  snake  whip. 

The  weather  at  the  time  these  mule  trains 
were  carrying  ammunition  to  the  front  was 
very  hot.  On  one  occasion  a  mule  train  was 
travelling  between  Siboney  and  Playa.  When 
a  mile  or  two  out  from  Siboney  they  came 
to  a  deep  gulch,  with  a  very  bad  break  in  the 
road.  This  was  the  second  trip  of  this  par- 
ticular mule  train  that  day,  and  while  cross- 
ing this  muddy  stream  one  of  the  mules 
slipped  and  completely  collapsed  under  his 


THE    MULE    IN    THE   CAMPAIGN.          I2/ 

load.  He  fell,  and  refused  to  budge.  Imme- 
diately the  packers  jumped  off  their  ponies 
and  had  hold  of  him  by  the  headline  and 
halter  tied  around  his  neck,  and  in  less  time 
than  it  takes  to  talk  about  it  they  had  the 
pack  off  the  mule  and  the  beast  on  his  feet 
again  and  repacked.  The  mule  shook  him- 
self, and  no  doubt  comforted  himself  with 
the  reflection  that  he  had  had  a  bath  at  any 
rate,  and  he  wagged  his  ear  knowingly  as 
he  resumed  his  march. 

Bill  Hill,  a  renowned  packer,  who  had 
been  in  the  business  while  the  colonel  of  his 
regiment  was  in  swaddling  clothes,  is  a  typ- 
ical old  mule  packer.  He  it  was  who  showed 
me  the  intricacies  and  the  details  to  be  gone 
through  in  making  a  perfect  pack.  It  mat- 
ters not  whether  it  is  a  case  of  hard-tack, 
half  a  dozen  sides  of  bacon,  several  cases  of 
ammunition,  or  a  big  coil  of  telegraph  wire, 
with  a  few  bags  of  oats  thrown  in,  when  Bill 
gets  through  with  it  you  will  see  as  neat  a 
pack  as  could  be  made  in  a  dry-goods  store  in 
the  great  city  of  New  York. 

During  the  first  night  of  the  first  day's 
battle  at  San  Juan  rumour  had  it  that  our 


128  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

men  were  getting  short  of  ammunition.  I 
had  left  San  Juan  behind  me  about  two  miles, 
and  when  I  came  to  the  San  Juan  River,  near 
the  old  sugar  house,  I  heard  loud  whooping 
and  yelling  and  the  cracking  of  whips  and 
the  sound  of  a  bell,  and  I  knew  it  meant  a 
mule  pack  train.  Little  did  I  expect  to  see 
the  sight  which  I  saw  a  little  farther  on 
when  I  arrived  at  this  river.  Two  or  three 
packers  were  riding  along  the  road  in  front 
of  the  train  at  full  gallop,  warning  everybody 
in  sight  to  clear  the  road.  Pretty  soon 
through  this  stream,  which  was  now  coming 
down  in  a  rushing  torrent,  the  mules  dashed 
without  a  halt  or  stop.  It  seemed  that  they 
knew  that  their  errand  was  important.  There 
were  about  one  hundred  mules  in  this  train, 
all  frothing  and  foaming  from  the  extra  ex- 
ertion demanded  of  them,  and  they  were 
making  their  way  to  the  front  with  all  pos- 
sible speed,  bearing  a  load  of  leaden  pills  to 
be  administered  to  the  bilious  dons  in  quan- 
tity sufficient  to  check  their  resistance.  They 
went  along  this  rough  and  difficult  road, 
which  had  become  almost  impassable  from 
the  cuts  and  ruts  made  by  the  artillery  and 


THE    MULE    IN    THE   CAMPAIGN. 


I29 


commissary  wagons  and  the  hospital  ambu- 
lances which  had  traversed  it  so  frequently 
during  this  first  day's  fighting. 

A  short  distance  along  this  river  there 
were  several  ambulances  coming  in  with  the 
wounded  from  the  front.  As  the  road  was 
narrow,  and  there  was  scarcely  room  for  one 
wagon  to  go  along,  it  seemed  that  when  the 
mule  train  reached  them  there  must  certain- 
ly be  a  catastrophe.  But  with  the  sense  of 
human  beings  the  mules  mounted  the  steep 
sides  of  the  road  and  one  after  another 
passed  the  ambulances  without  so  much  as 
touching  them.  These  animals  seemed  pos- 
sessed of  marvellous  judgment  and  intelli- 
gence. 


16 


CHAPTER   X. 

IN    CAMP    WITH    THE    SOLDIERS. 

Incidents  during  the  advance  on  Santiago — Hard-tack  sand- 
wiches and  cartridge  pudding — Foraging  for  cocoanuts 
and  mangoes— Evening  amusements — The  difficulties  of 
letter  writing. 

AFTER  the  landing  of  the  troops  at  sever- 
al points  from  Santiago  to  Guantanamo  they 
were  hurriedly  massed  in  the  interior  on  their 
way  to  Santiago.  The  camps  of  the  different 
regiments  were  established  on  good  high 
ground  wherever  it  could  be  found.  It  was 
also  arranged  that  these  camps  should  be  in 
close  proximity  to  a  river  or  stream  which 
would  provide  good  drinking  water.  The 
ground  on  which  our  men  camped  had  been 
lately  occupied  by  the  Spanish  forces,  so  they 
were  rather  particular.  The  water  was  first 
tested  and  found  to  be  free  from  any  harmful 
ingredients  introduced  by  the  hands  of  the 
enemy.  Some  of  the  regiments  which  were 

the  first  to  land  had  been  instructed  by  the 
130 


IN   CAMP   WITH    THE   SOLDIERS.          131 

Cubans  in  their  method  of  tenting,  and  nearly 
all  preferred  the  Cuban  plan  to  the  army  reg- 
ulation tents.  The  soldiers  found  that  by 
placing  fresh  leaves  on  their  tents  each  night 
they  could  keep  much  cooler. 

It  was  amusing  to  see  the  men  cooking 
their  own  pork  and  soaking  their  hard-tack 
in  coffee.  Each  mess  would  have  a  man  to 
do  the  different  parts  of  the  cooking.  While 
one  would  be  preparing  a  hard-tack  sand- 
wich, another  would  be  fetching  water,  while 
a  third  would  be  grinding  his  coffee  beans 
between  two  stones,  and  so  it  went  on.  They 
were  just  as  happy  as  though  they  were  eat- 
ing in  some  fine  restaurant  in  New  York. 
You  would  find  the  men  jollying  one  another 
along  in  many  ways.  One  man  would  ask 
another  if  he  would  have  a  hard-tack  sand- 
wich, and  the  other  would  answer:  "  Why, 
certainly,  Bill;  I  will  let  you  have  some 
cartridge  pudding  in  return."  "  Chang " 
pie  was  quite  a  joke  among  the  boys.  When 
asked  for  its  receipt  you  were  told  that  it  was 
made  of  cocoa-nut  shells  stuffed  with  sol- 
diers' buttons. 

Quite  a  favourite  dish,  and  one  which  of 


I32  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

necessity  was  eaten  at  almost  every  meal,  was 
made  by  frying  bacon  in  a  pan,  and  then  dip- 
ping the  hard-tack  in  the  gravy.  Canned 
meats  were  to  be  had  very  seldom,  as  the 
commissary  department  had  been  culpably 
inefficient  in  forwarding  the  provisions  to  the 
troops  at  the  front.  Whenever  a  wagon  of 
provisions  appeared  along  the  road  or  in  the 
camp  each  company  made  for  it  and  claimed 
it  as  theirs,  only  to  find  themselves  put  off 
until  proper  requisitions  had  been  made  out 
for  its  distribution.  The  delay  in  many  such 
instances  was  very  annoying. 

At  nighttime  the  men  in  camp  would 
while  away  the  hours  in  telling  stories,  sing- 
ing songs,  brightening  up  accoutrements, 
and  preparing  for  the  unexpected.  One 
would  stroll  from  a  camp  possibly  a  mile  or 
two,  and  would  always  encounter  a  party  re- 
turning with  green  cocoanuts  or  a  big  banda- 
na filled  with  mangoes.  The  men  were  forbid- 
den to  eat  these  mangoes,  as  it  was  feared  they 
might  operate  harmfully  on  them,  and  yet  no 
opportunity  for  getting  them  was  allowed  to 
pass  by.  The  young  limes  found  on  frequent 
trees  were  a  great  solace  to  the  thirsty  soldier. 


IN   CAMP  WITH   THE   SOLDIERS. 


133 


The  captains  of  the  different  companies 
while  in  camp  took  advantage  of  the  leisure 
time  in  instructing  the  men  as  to  what  was 
expected  of  them.  They  advised  them  on 
many  subjects,  and  the  men  listened  with 
the  eagerness  of  children;  and  when  all  the 
talk  was  over,  the  question  would  be,  "  Say, 
cap,  how  soon  can  we  expect  it?  "  The  cap- 
tain would  answer,  "  Maybe  by  to-morrow." 

The  boys  were  all  anxious  for  the  morrow 
to  come,  as  they  were  eager  to  meet  the 
Spanish  whom  they  had  travelled  many  miles 
to  face.  The  general  feeling  among  the  men 
in  these  several  camps  was  one  of  anxious 
expectation.  You  would  find  them,  singly 
and  in  groups,  writing  letters  which  would 
be  considered  curios  in  a  dime  museum  from 
the  ingenuity  displayed  in  hitting  upon  some 
material  on  which  to  write  their  thoughts 
and  consign  the  same  to  the  tender  mercies 
of  the  post-office  department  for  transmis- 
sion to  their  friends  at  home.  In  some  cases 
where  a  mother  had  given  her  son  a  box  of 
quinine  pills  to  stave  off  the  fever  the  box 
was  emptied  and  on  the  surface  was  scribbled 
a  few  words  of  encouragement  to  mother,  or 


134  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

wife,  or  sister,  or  brother,  or  other  relative, 
or  possibly  plain  old  Jack,  or  Bill,  or  Tom, 
the  chum  left  behind.  Others  pressed  into 
service  brown  paper  which  had  been  used 
as  wrapping  for  a  parcel  of  hard-tack,  and  as 
envelopes  were  not  to  be  had,  the  sheets  of 
paper  were  sewn  together  with  a  piece  of 
thread  or  fastened  together  with  a  safety  pin. 
A  post  office  had  been  established  at  Guan- 
tanamo,  and  the  many  newspaper  corre- 
spondents travelling  to  and  fro  between  the 
front  and  this  place  were  kind  enough  to  take 
these  quaint  missives  along  and  mail  them. 

A  newspaper  or  any  news  from  home  was 
as  eagerly  sought  for  as  intelligence  from  the 
front  was  craved  for  in  the  States.  In  many 
instances  letters  sent  from  the  States  were 
held  many  days  before  delivery  to  the  men  at 
the  front.  Many  letters  were  not  delivered 
until  after  the  conflict  was  over  which  should 
have  been  received  by  the  soldiers  before  they 
reached  the  line  of  battle.  Other  letters  re- 
ceived yet  await  delivery,  those  to  whom  they 
were  addressed  having  passed  to  the  great 
beyond  at  El  Caney. 


CHAPTER    XL 

THE    SIEGE    OF    SANTIAGO. 

Advance  to  the  front  under  difficulties — Graves  of  the  Rough 
Riders — Observations  by  balloon — Grimes's  battery  opens 
fire— Response  by  shrapnel — In  the  thick  of  the  fight — 
Bravery  of  the  Seventy-first. 

THURSDAY,  June  3Oth,  was  a  very  impor- 
tant, interesting,  and  busy  day  with  me.  I 
had  visited  General  Shafter's  headquarters, 
and  permission  had  been  given  me  to  as- 
cend in  the  balloon  the  following  day,  when 
operations  were  expected  to  commence,  in 
order  to  take  photographic  views  of  the 
trenches,  the  position  of  batteries,  and  the 
various  branches  of  the  Spanish  army.  When 
this  news  was  conveyed  to  me  I  was  in  very 
high  spirits.  I  at  once  made  preparations 
for  this  work,  and  proceeded  to  Siboney  to 
get  my  cameras  and  plates.  I  had  been  out 
in  the  field  all  day,  and  the  tramp  back  to 

Siboney  was  not  very  pleasant.     I  reached 

135 


136  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

the  Sylvia  rather  late  at  night,  and,  after 
caring  for  the  inner  man,  I  made  known  to 
our  party  what  was  to  take  place  the  follow- 
ing day,  and  the  whole  corps  of  men  were  in 
high  glee  to  learn  that  operations  in  real 
warfare  were  to  begin  early  the  following 
morning. 

My  good  and  faithful  assistant  Jim  and 
the  rest  of  the  boys  helped  to  get  camera 
and  plates  in  shape,  while  I  examined  every 
shutter  and  lens,  trying  every  plateholder,  and 
seeing  that  everything  was  in  perfect  work- 
ing order.  The  plateholders  were  filled, 
cases  were  strapped  up,  and  everything  was 
made  ready  for  an  early  departure,  after 
packing  up  a  few  necessary  articles,  includ- 
ing an  extra  suit  of  underclothing  and  a  bot- 
tle of  fine  old  brandy,  this  being  taken  along 
as  medicine.  At  a  critical  time  it  was  so 
agreeable  and  necessary  that  none  but  those 
who  partook  of  it  can  fully  tell  how  it  was 
appreciated.  Thus  equipped,  we  left  the  Syl- 
via in  the  wee  small  hours  of  the  morning  of 
July  ist.  Arrived  on  shore,  we  made  for  the 
Journal  headquarters.  Here  we  found  things 
rather  still.  The  house  had  been  temporarily 


THE   SIEGE   OF   SANTIAGO. 


137 


turned  into  a  hospital,  and,  as  a  conse- 
quence, a  great  many  of  the  sick  soldiers 
were  occupying  places  in  and  round  the 
house  and  veranda  for  the  night. 

When  we  reached  this  little  house,  we 
first  made  inquiries  and  personal  investiga- 
tions as  to  our  horses.  We  found  they  had 
been  fed  thoroughly,  and  only  awaited  our 
arrival  to  start  on  our  trip  to  Playa.  We 
thought  it  advisable  to  take  a  couple  of 
hours'  rest  before  starting  on  our  journey, 
which  was  over  a  tract  of  about  seven  miles. 
We  found  a  vacant  spot  among  the  many 
lying  on  the  veranda,  and  we  downed  our 
blankets  on  the  boards,  placed  plate  cases 
or  cameras  under  our  heads,  and  dozed  off. 

After  a  tiresome  day's  work,  one  might 
think,  perhaps,  that  we  readily  succumbed 
to  sleep;  but  such  a  supposition  omits  con- 
sideration of  mosquitoes,  ill  visions,  and  land 
crabs.  I  saw  and  imagined  all  kinds  of 
things,  and,  although  I  might  have  been 
asleep,  I  knew  everything  that  was  going  on 
around  me  for  the  two  hours  during  which 
we  remained  on  the  hard  floor  of  the  veranda 
of  this  little  shanty. 

T7 


138  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

Outside  and  hitched  near  by  were  two 
or  three  army  mules,  who  voiced  a  loud, 
rasping  protest  at  intervals  against  some 
treatment  which  they  were  receiving  and 
which  they  did  not  fancy.  Now,  these  mules 
are  all  right  when  they  are  hungry  and  have 
something  to  eat  in  front  of  them,  but  when 
they  have  nothing  to  engage  their  attention 
in  that  way  they  engage  the  attention  of  all 
in  the  neighbourhood  by  means  known  to 
many,  but  possessed  in  that  remarkable 
manner  only  by  the  mule  himself.  The 
bray  of  an  army  mule  is  penetrating  and  in- 
sinuating. It  tears  its  way  through  atmos- 
phere, wooden  plank,  brick,  rock,  or  any- 
thing that  may  be  placed  to  check  its  move- 
ment. In  addition  to  the  regulation  bray. 
the  mule  has  a  mournful  whine.  This  melan- 
choly sound  is  what  these  mules  treated  us 
to  during  the  two  hours  we  sought  sleep. 

After  picturing  to  myself  the  scenes 
which  I  expected  to  photograph  I  dozed 
into  a  brief  respite  from  mortal  cares.  This 
was  of  but  brief  duration,  for  we  were  soon 
awakened  in  a  rude  manner  by  Mr.  Follans- 
bee,  who  came  along  and  told  us  that  day- 


THE    SIEGE    OF    SANTIAGO. 


139 


light  was  appearing  off  the  eastern  moun- 
tains just  beyond  Siboney.  Our  party  were 
all  attention  in  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell 
about  it,  for  we  were  all  anxious  to  get  un- 
der way  and  to  the  front. 

After  saddling  our  horses  and  making 
our  packs  on  an  army  mule  that  was  branded 
as  the  property  of  U.  S. — but  do  not  in- 
quire too  closely  as  to  where  we  got  him. 
The  mule  had  strayed  and  was  lost — possi- 
bly stolen — who  can  tell?  Things  of  this 
kind  are  not  classed  as  stolen  property  in 
time  of  war,  or  at  least  they  were  not  looked 
upon  as  such  in  Cuba,  all  taking  the  cheer- 
ful view  that  it  was  borrowed  for  the  time 
being.  Anyhow,  after  making  ready,  which 
took  but  a  short  time,  we  started  on  the  val- 
ley road,  which  is  the  road  between  the 
mountains  which  General  Young  traversed 
with  his  army  on  the  day  that  the  Rough 
Riders  fought  their  battle.  When  we  started 
it  was  still  dark,  and  as  we  went  along  this 
muddy  and  slimy  road  it  was  not  a  pleasant 
trip.  We  had  not  gone  far  before  we  came 
to  the  place  where  the  refugees  from  El 
Caney,  Santiago,  and  other  places  in  the 


I40  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

neighbourhood  had  found  shelter  under  the 
improvised  tents  and  large  trees  which  grow 
in  this  low  valley. 

Every  one  that  passed  along  this  trail 
was  greeted  with  more  or  less  commonplace 
recognition  by  Cubans — men,  women,  and 
children.  As  I  passed  by  some  of  them  and 
saw  strong,  apparently  able-bodied  men,  I 
thought  how  strange  it  seemed  that  these 
big,  lusty  fellows  should  be  lying  around  in 
the  shade  in  a  manner  apparently  listless 
and  unconcerned  as  to  what  was  about  to 
occur,  while  our  men  had  travelled  from  two 
to  £our  thousand  miles  in  some  instances  to 
fight  for  the  freedom  of  the  country  to  which 
these  loungers  belonged.  It  appeared  to  me 
that  if  these  people  were  so  anxious  to  have 
freedom  from  the  thralldom  of  the  Spanish 
yoke,  and  an  opportunity  to  repay  the  Span- 
iards in  the  same  coin  they  had  received  from 
them  in  the  way  of  cruel  and  unjust  treat- 
ment, that  here  was  a  splendid  opportunity 
which  they  were  neglecting.  Instead  of  tak- 
ing up  arms  and  fighting  the  enemies  of 
their  country,  they  were  permitting  disinter- 
ested friends  of  humanity  to  take  all  the  stif- 


THE    SIEGE    OF   SANTIAGO.  141 

fering  necessary  to  free  them.  And  yet 
might  not  this  very  torpor  of  better  feelings 
and  conscience  indicate  the  degraded  state 
of  ignorance  they  had  been  brought  down 
to  by  the  imposition  of  state  and  Church, 
and  hence  entitle  them  all  the  more  to  our 
sympathy?  Perhaps  they  thought  they  had 
done  their  share  for  their  country's  freedom, 
and  now  that  they  were  within  hailing  dis- 
tance of  provisions  to  be  had  for  the  asking 
they  imagined  it  useless  to  continue  the 
struggle  any  longer. 

We  continued  our  journey  beyond  and 
travelled  some  miles  before  we  reached  the 
junction  in  the  road  where  the  Rough  Riders 
met  with  such  dire  misfortune.  This  place 
is  called  Las  Guasimas.  There  are  no  dwell- 
ings or  houses  inhabited  by  any  one  around. 
The  distillery  where  the  Spaniards  made 
their  last  rally  can  be  seen  in  the  distance 
over  a  small  ridge  of  mountains.  Here  we 
passed  the  graves  of  the  gallant  troopers 
who  died  in  this  grand  charge,  beyond  which 
we  came  to  a  trail  leading  toward  Playa. 
The  regiments  which  had  been  encamped  on 
this  ground  a  day  or  two  before  had  taken 


142 


CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 


up  their  tents  and  evacuated.  It  seemed 
rather  lonesome  as  the  sun  slowly  made  its 
way  above  the  horizon,  as  though  something 
big  had  happened,  and  given  to  this  place  a 
desolate  and  empty  air.  There  was  some- 
thing wanting. 

On  the  left  and  right  of  us  the  place  had 
been  occupied  by  the  Ninth,  Twenty-fourth, 
Sixteenth,  and  Seventy-first  Regiments,  and 
some  troops  of  cavalry.  Now  all  were  gone. 
Gone  where?  Gone  closer  to  their  enemies; 
working  up  to  a  position  which  brought 
them  face  to  face  with  those  men  Spain  had 
sent  there  to  teach  the  "  Yankee  pigs  "  how 
not  to  meddle  with  fighting  men,  and  who 
had  boasted  so  loudly  of  their  undying  brav- 
ery and  efficiency.  If,  as  historians  have  re- 
ported, this  race  of  people  has  done  so  much 
in  the  way  of  relying  upon  their  honour  and 
bravery  and  the  justice  of  their  cause,  why 
did  they  allow  our  little  body  of  men  to  en- 
croach upon  the  ground  which  they  could 
not  hold  long  enough  to  intrench  themselves 
upon,  because  the  activity  of  the  American 
forces  made  them  retreat  hurriedly  to  their 
town  and  its  fortifications?  Surely  they 


THE    SIEGE    OF    SANTIAGO. 


H3 


might  have  made  a  bolder  stand  and  not 
have  allowed  us  to  approach  so  near  to  the 
key  of  the  situation — Santiago. 

From  Siboney  to  Santiago  the  distance 
is  about  twelve  miles.  Our  troops  were  now 
eight  or  nine  miles  from  Siboney,  which 
brought  them  within  three  miles  of  Santi- 
ago. The  first,  second,  and  third  brigade 
of  this  army  corps  were  now  being  formed 
into  a  crescent,  which  crescent  was  stead- 
ily advancing  toward  the  intrenched  posi- 
tion of  the  bravest  troops  of  Spain.  We 
had  now  gone  about  five  or  six  miles;  we 
were  between  Las  Guasimas  and  Playa.  On 
the  right  of  us  was  a  cavalry  troop  now 
breaking  camp.  I  heard  the  bugle  calling 
the  men  to  "  Attention!  "  The  last  note  of 
the  bugle  was  scarcely  sounded  before  every 
man  was  beside  his  trusted  steed,  carbine 
slung  on  the  side,  a  revolver  in  his  belt,  all 
ready  to  mount.  Once  more  the  bugle 
sounded,  and  all  threw  themselves  sprightly 
and  alertly  into  the  saddle.  The  command 
was  given,  "  Forward!  "  and  by  fours  they 
came  down  in  front  of  us,  blocking  our  way 
for  a  time.  We  halted  to  see  these  gallant 


144 


CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 


fellows  pass  us  and  take  position  on  the  road. 
We  followed  along  in  the  rear  of  this  troop 
until  we  reached  General  Shafter's  headquar- 
ters. Arrived  there,  we  unloaded  what  stuff 
we  had,  including  the  tent  and  eatables,  and 
left  our  mule  tied  to  a  tree  where  we  ex- 
pected to  pitch  our  camp  that  night.  I  then 
made  for  headquarters,  with  Mr.  Hearst  and 
Mr.  Follansbee,  to  find  out  where  and  when 
the  balloon  was  likely  to  go  up.  We  were 
just  as  eager  to  find  out  as  yokels  at  a  coun- 
try fair,  where  balloon  ascensions  are  adver- 
tised as  the  main  attraction.  I  was  told  that 
the  balloon  in  charge  of  the  general's  staff 
was  already  a  mile  or  two  in  advance.  Hear- 
ing this,  we  proceeded  toward  El  Pozo  as 
fast  as  we  could,  and  we  had  not  gone  very 
far  before  we  saw  the  balloon  in  the  air  in 
front  of  us. 

Confound  it!  I  thought,  here  is  the 
chance  of  my  life  which  I  have  missed,  a 
chance  where  possibly  I  might  have  be.en  of 
valuable  assistance  to  our  army;  but  I  was 
doomed  to  disappointment.  As  we  followed 
along  in  the  wake  of  the  men  who  were 
handling  this  balloon,  I  found  it  was  not 


Copyright,  1898,  by  W.  R.  Hearst. 

Part  of  the  Seventy-first  Regiment,  near  El   Pozo,  awaiting 
orders  to  the  front. 


THE    SIEGE   OF   SANTIAGO.  ^5 

likely  I  should  have  a  chance  to  ascend  in  it. 
It  was  now  at  a  considerable  height,  and  the 
men  were  making  their  observations  in  a 
businesslike  manner.  The  balloon  was  han- 
dled by  a  detachment  of  eight  or  ten  men, 
who  held  on  to  a  light  pole  or  spar  about 
twenty  feet  long,  to  which  were  attached 
the  guide  ropes  of  the  balloon.  Thus  the 
men  carried  it  along  from  one  point  to  an- 
other. Before  long  the  balloon  descended 
in  order  that  the  men  might  receive  further 
instructions,  about  which  I  know  nothing. 
I  made  all  possible  haste  to  ascertain  its  cor- 
rect location,  but  failed  to  do  so.  Shortly 
after  the  reascension  the  Spaniards  thought 
our  people  had  been  ballooning  quite  long 
enough,  and  that  it  was  time  to  choke  off 
the  play,  so  their  infantry  and  artillery  con- 
centrated their  fire  on  it,  and,  after  the  bal- 
loon had  been  punctured  quite  frequently, 
it  was  drawn  down  and  seen  no  more  dur- 
ing the  attack  on  Santiago. 

As  we  passed  along  the  narrow  trail 
which  was  the  main  road  to  the  sugar  house 
on  the  way  to  San  Juan,  it  was  filled  with 
infantry  and  artillery  troops.  The  men 

18 


I46  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

seemed  anxious  and  eager  for  the  fray.  They 
were  all  expectancy,  all  on  their  mettle — 
mettle  that  the  men  possibly  never  had 
shown  before.  I  had  seen  troops  many  times 
in  mimic  warfare,  but  never  had  I  seen  them 
so  near  an  actual  engagement.  As  we  passed 
along,  I  thought  that  there  were  among 
them  many  whose  last  hour  was  near;  but 
little  did  they  heed  it,  for  there  is  one  con- 
dition existing  among  all  men  just  before 
going  into  battle,  I  fancy,  for  I  have  con- 
versed with  them  and  asked  them  this  very 
question,  and  all  seemed  united  on  one 
thing — that  is,  that  they  never  think  of 
being  victims  themselves,  but  always  that  it 
is  "  the  other  fellow "  that  is  destined  to 
wounds  and  death.  I  know  that  is  how  it  was 
with  me,  for  when  Mr.  Hearst,  Mr.  Follans- 
bee,  and  the  rest  of  our  party  crossed  the 
river  near  the  sugar  house  and  made  for  the 
old  fort  at  El  Pozo,  none  of  us  thought  of 
the  danger  which  was  to  show  itself  in  a  very 
few  minutes. 

It  was  now  about  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  a  battery  was  stationed  on  the 
hill  directly  to  our  right,  under  the  very  tree 


In  front  of  El  Pozo. 
Grimes's  battery  in  the  distance  under  the  tree. 


THE    SIEGE    OF    SANTIAGO.  147 

from  which  I  had  made  photographs  of  San- 
tiago a  few  days  before.  It  was  here  that  I 
knew  we  would  be  able  to  get  a  good  view 
of  the  movements  of  the  troops  which  were 
expected  to  go  into  battle  on  our  right.  The 
Rough  Riders  were  immediately  in  and 
around  this  fort  at  El  P6zo.  As  we  passed 
by  them  we  recognised  many  a  well-known 
face.  Several  of  them  saluted  us  as  we  went 
along  toward  this  battery  on  the  hill.  We 
had  not  proceeded  far  in  this  thicket  and 
dense  woody  undergrowth,  before  our  path- 
way and  progress  were  filled  with  what  we 
termed  Spanish  swords — a  species  of  cactus 
with  a  long  leaf,  which  grows  like  the  blade  of 
a  sword.  We  were  approaching  the  hill  very 
closely  when,  to  our  surprise,  we  heard  the 
orders  coming  from  the  officer  in  charge  of 
the  battery.  They  came  loud,  clear,  and  dis- 
tinct. The  first  command  rang  out  like  a 
clarion:  "  No.  i,  load!  prime!  fire!"  and  the 
first  shot  of  the  bombardment  of  Santiago 
was  unloosed  from  the  muzzle  of  the  rifle 
and  was  speeding  on  its  rotary  errand  toward 
the  mark. 

Following  this  came  the  orders  for  No. 


148  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

2  and  No.  3  guns,  and  soon  Grimes's  battery 
was  in  full  action.  Gun  followed  gun  in  its 
contribution  to  the  roar,  when  suddenly 
there  was  a  boom  in  the  distance;  it  sound- 
ed as  though  it  were  but  an  echo  of  the  guns 
from  Grimes's  battery,  so  faint  was  the  sound, 
but  we  soon  discovered  that  we  were  right 
in  the  place  where  the  Spanish  shells  and 
shrapnel  were  landing.  In  and  around  this 
thicket  and  the  fort  at  El  Pozo  were  a  great 
many  Cubans. 

A  yell,  "  Here  she  comes!  "  and  there  was 
such  a  screech  through  the  air  as  I  had  never 
heard  before.  It  was  new  to  me,  and  yet,  oh, 
how  magnificent!  I  can  not  call  it  terrible 
or  dreadful,  for  it  did  not  so  impress  me.  It 
was  the  sound  of  a  very  large  and  elegant 
skyrocket,  which  I  had  so  often  as  a  boy  ad- 
mired and  raced  to  find  the  stick;  but  oh, 
how  terrible  to  find  the  stick  which  came 
from  one  of  these  projectiles!  how  dreadful 
it  soon  appeared  to  me  when  I  saw  the  havoc 
wrought  by  the  shells! 

Another  boom  in  the  distance,  and 
screeching  through  the  air  came  another 
shell.  In  quick  succession  these  shells  were 


THE    SIEGE    OF    SANTIAGO. 


149 


now  pouring  in  our  line,  when  suddenly  we 
were  hailed  by  an  officer  in  charge  of  the 
skirmish  line  of  the  Rough  Riders,  who  said: 
>k  What  in  h — 1  are  you  fellows  doing?  Don't 
you  see  you  are  drawing  the  fire  from  those 
batteries?  For  God's  sake,  men,  get  off  your 
horses!" 

For  the  first  time  things  began  to  appear 
interesting.  Mr.  Hearst  turned  his  horse  to 
me,  and  we  came  face  to  face  with  each 
other,  and,  with  a  smile,  he  said,  "  Well,  I 
guess  possibly  we  are  drawing  the  fire,  but 
we  are  not  the  only  ones  around  here." 

With  that  we  dismounted,  still  forcing  our 
way  toward  Grimes's  battery,  which  was 
pouring  shells  into  Santiago.  When  within 
hailing  distance  of  the  battery,  a  shell  sud- 
denly came  from  the  enemy's  artillery  and 
burst  directly  in  front  of  one  of  these  guns. 
Another  followed,  and  before  it  could  burst 
in  the  air  as  the  previous  one  had  done  it 
embedded  itself  in  the  earth  not  fifty  feet 
beyond  where  the  commanding  officer  stood. 
Did  they  run?  Did  they  stop?  No,  it  was 
too  late  to  stop.  Onward  was  the  word. 
No.  i  was  reloading,  No.  2  was  fired,  and 


CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

No.  3  was  doing  the  execution  expected  of 
it,  but  which  in  full  we  could  not  see.  Here 
we  thought  we  could  gain  the  mountain, 
when  suddenly  we  were  hailed  and  given 
these  words  of  admonition:  "  Have  you  fel- 
lows no  sense?  If  you  have,  for  God's  sake 
make  yourselves  scarce!" 

This  seemed  to  us  the  proper  time  to 
make  ourselves  scarce;  but  let  me  tell  you 
something:  In  our  party  of  four  or  five,  who 
was  to  be  the  first  one  to  say,  "  Let  us  go 
back"?  That  was  the  question.  That  man 
was  wanting  ;  that  one  man  could  not  be 
found,  for  it  is  true  as  Gospel  that  after  a 
man  had  gone  through  what  he  had  he 
would  never  allow  himself  then  to  retreat  or 
in  any  way  lead  any  one  to  believe  that  he 
was  a  coward.  The  time  for  any  one  to  set 
the  signal  of  a  yellow  streak  had  long  passed. 
I  am  not  speaking  now  directly  of  our  party, 
but  I  am  speaking  for  the  soldier  and  for 
the  trooper,  and  for  the  gunner  in  general;  I 
am  speaking  for  the  rank  and  file,  as  well  as 
the  officers  of  our  army.  I  have  heard  it 
said  that  a  man  will  show  whether  he  is  a 
man  as  soon  as  he  gets  under  fire.  This  may 


THE   SIEGE   OF    SANTIAGO.  151 

be  correct  in  many  instances,  but  when  you 
take  into  consideration  what  our  men  went 
through  long  before  they  came  to  the  firing 
line,  if  the  white  feather  was  to  be  shown,  it 
would  have  been  hoisted  before. 

It  took  a  brave  man  to  go  through  the 
inauguration  these  men  went  through  when 
they  were  initiated  into  camp  life,  and  it  re- 
quired even  more  fortitude  to  withstand  the 
hardships  encountered  on  the  transports. 
When  once  upon  the  field  they  had  passed 
through  experiences  which  were  not  likely 
to  be  outdone  by  anything  there  to  occur; 
they  had  experienced  about  the  worst  that 
they  could  have  had  to  endure.  It  took  a 
man  of  strong  nerve,  strong  constitution, 
and  strong  fealty  to  country  to  uncomplain- 
ingly accept  the  food  and  treatment  which 
these  men  had  to  undergo  in  order  that  they 
might  place  at  the  altar  of  Liberty  all  they 
possessed. 

It  was  a  paradise  for  these  men  to  be 
permitted  to  come  out  from  the  stench  of  a 
transport's  hold  and  land  in  Cuba;  to  ex- 
change the  dampness  and  filth  of  unventilated 
cattle  boats  for  the  sunshine,  however  hot 


I  $2  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

the  rays.  Some  of  them  had  been  in  battle 
before,  as,  for  instance,  the  Rough  Riders, 
who  had  gone  through  the  most  desperate 
conflict  of  this  war.  When  these  men  saw 
this  artillery  officer  cheering  his  men  on, 
when  they  saw  on  the  right  and  left  their 
guidons,  and  in  the  centre  Old  Glory  grace- 
fully unfolding  and  waving  its  stripes  in  the 
breeze,  as  though  to  display  its  insouciance 
and  confidence  of  the  quality  of  those  bearing 
it  as  their  standard,  who  could  stop  them? 
Could  they  step  backward?  No!  Nothing 
but  the  thought  of  occupying  the  place  now 
held  by  the  enemy  would  give  them  satisfac- 
tion. 

It  is  not  the  men  actually  engaged  on  the 
fighting  line  who  are  most  tried  and  who  feel 
the  conflict  most,  for  while  they  are  in  battle 
they  have  something  to  keep  the  mind  from 
self.  It  is  those  men  who  form  the  second 
line,  who  bring  up  the  rear,  who  are  held 
in  reserve,  who  stand  ready  to  jump  in  and 
take  the  place  of  the  brave  man  who  has 
died  right  in  front  of  him,  whose  eyes  are 
peering  through  bushes,  while  he  sees  the 
men  dropping  in  front  of  him.  He  stands 


THE    SIEGE   OF    SANTIAGO. 


153 


there  waiting  for  the  order  "  Forward!  "  and 
when  the  bugle  sounds  he  jumps  forward. 
What  are  these  men  doing  all  the  time  they 
are  standing  there  waiting  for  this  word? 
Let  me  tell  you  what  they  are  doing,  what 
I  heard  with  my  ears  and  saw  with  my  eyes. 
Let  me  tell  you  what  some  of  these  men  did 
and  how  they  did  it. 

After  crossing  the  river  by  the  old  sugar 
house  just  in  front  of  El  Pozo,  there  is  where 
the  men  were  rendezvoused  as  reserves.  In 
coming  down  from  El  Pozo  to  get  out  of  the 
line  of  fire  as  best  we  could  we  made  our 
way  toward  San  Juan.  Shrapnel  shells  were 
bursting  over  us  in  large  numbers:  men  were 
being  struck  down  beside  our  very  selves. 
They  were  falling  like  logs.  There  was  none 
of  the  stage  dropping,  by  first  jumping  five  or 
ten  feet  into  the  air — no  Rialto  business.  A 
man  was  hit,  and  he  simply  sagged  down  in 
a  heap,  sinking  into  the  low  bushes  without 
a  murmur,  without  a  word.  Had  you  been 
at  the  side  of  some  of  the  falling  men,  as  I 
was,  you  would  have  heard  nothing  from 
them  but,  "I  have  got  it!"  or,  "It  has 
touched  me!  " 


154 


CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 


These  were  the  men  actually  in  the  skir- 
mish line,  but  as  we  went  farther  on,  and  these 
men  went  beyond  us  on  their  way  to  the 
enemy's  trenches,  and  the  others  were  stand- 
ing in  single  file  as  a  support  to  the  main 
body,  the  shrapnel  were  coming  very  close, 
for  these  places  had  been  occupied  by  the 
Spaniards,  and  they  knew  the  distances  and 
could  adjust  their  ranges  to  perfection.  They 
knew  the  trails  which  our  troops  would  have 
to  use  in  advancing  so  as  to  reach  and  en- 
gage the  Spanish.  They  shortened  their 
ranges,  and  many  a  man  was  killed  or  wound- 
ed. Many  is  the  man  who  was  maimed  for 
life  while  standing  waiting  to  go  on  the 
fighting  line  and  battle  for  his  country. 
Many  is  the  man  that  was  carried  off  before 
he  had  a  chance  to  fire  a  shot. 

As  I  came  along  the  line,  anxious  in- 
quiries were  made  of  me,  "  Hello,  mate,  what 
are  they  doing  in  front?  "  I  would  answer: 
'  They  are  holding  their  own,  boys;  gaining 
steadily.  Not  a  foot  have  they  lost  since 
they  started." 

A  feeling  of  pleasure  would  thrill  the  line 
from  right  to  left  when  they  heard  this 


THE   SIEGE   OF   SANTIAGO. 


55 


news.  As  I  told  them  of  the  brave  fight  their 
comrades  were  making  at  the  front  men 
grasped  with  firmer  hand  their  rifles,  some 
opened  the  chamber  and  examined  the 
mechanism  and  shells  inside,  in  order  to  as- 
sure themselves  that  there  should  be  no  miss 
when  the  time  for  action  came;  some  would 
draw  the  cartridge  and  place  the  end  in  their 
mouth  to  wet  it,  and,  with  a  tighter  grasp 
on  his  belt  as  he  took  in  another  notch,  he 
would  say  to  his  partner:  "  Bill,  this  is  the 
time;  the  time  has  come,  and  won't  we  show 
them  what  stuff  we  are  made  of!  We  will 
show  them  how  to  shoot!  That  clean  score 
I  made  on  the  range  before  I  left  will  stand 
us  in  good  stead  now,  old  man."  His  partner 
would  give  a  knowing  wink  and  shake  of  the 
head. 

Anxiously  did  these  men  stand  there  all 
along,  peacefully  biding  their  time.  When 
an  advance  would  be  sounded  you  would 
hear  the  notes  of  the  bugle  ring  out  distinct- 
ly and  the  order,  "  Forward  !  prepare  for 
action!  "  The  officers  along  the  line  would 
give  the  command  to  "  Unsling  rolls  and  pre- 
pare for  action!  " 
19 


156  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

A  man  from  each  company  was  detailed 
to  look  after  the  rolls  and  haversacks  anc) 
the  equipments  which  were  not  necessary  at 
the  time.  As  the  men  were  called  into  line 
of  battle  and  deployed  as  skirmishers  it  was 
a  sight  to  see  them.  With  grim  determina- 
tion on  their  faces,  they  looked  first  to  the 
right  and  then  to  the  left;  every  man  seemed 
to  be  a  trained  soldier,  every  man  seemed  to 
know  that  the  time  had  come  for  him  to  do 
his  duty,  be  it  but  to  die.  Before  being  de- 
ployed to  the  regular  distance  you  \vould 
see  them  standing  in  pairs,  and  at  such  a 
time  I  heard  their  conversation.  It  made  me 
feel  as  though  I  wanted  to  do  something 
myself,  and  yet  I  could  not.  For  instance: 

A  big,  strong  sergeant  was  on  the  right, 
and  as  he  passed  along  and  ordered  his  men 
to  deploy,  the  No.  i  man  of  the  first  four  on 
the  right  of  the  company  said:  "Sergeant, 
I  may  not  have  a  chance  to  speak  with  you 
again,  but  should  I  be  wounded  and  not 
killed,  see  that  my  body  is  not  taken  by  those 
Spaniards.  If  it  is  the  last  shot  you  have, 
sergeant,  and  I  am  wounded  and  alive,  do 
not  leave  me  until  you  are  sure  I  am  dead. 


THE    SIEGE    OF    SANTIAGO. 


57 


Then  if  they  get  my  body,  they  can  not  hurt 
me  with  me  knowing  it." 

This  was  the  prevailing  feeling  among 
the  rank  and  file.  They  were  determined  to 
go  in  and  do  their  best;  yet  they  feared  that 
they  might  be  taken  prisoners  by  these  cruel 
yellow  enemies  and  treated  as  prisoners  al- 
ways have  been  treated  by  the  Spanish  sol- 
diers. Soon  after  this  the  engagement  was 
opened  on  both  sides;  it  was  a  terrible  con- 
flict, made  more  hellish  by  the  roaring  of  the 
artillery,  the  popping  of  the  rifles  on  our 
skirmish  lines,  and  the  volleys  from  the  ene- 
my— all  of  which  lent  themselves  to  the  ter- 
rible discord. 

One  could  readily  distinguish  between 
the  firing  of  the  two  sides.  Our  men  were 
ordered  to  deploy  as  skirmishers,  and,  as  the 
officers  could  not  reach  the  men,  the  men 
received  orders  to  fire  at  will.  The  Span- 
iards in  their  trenches  were  firing  volleys 
thick  and  fast.  The  sounds  were  many.  The 
Mauser  bullets  whirled  along  the  surface  of 
the  grass  and  nipped  off  grass  blades  and 
cactus  stalks.  The  sound  in  these  cases  was 
similar  to  that  produced  by  one  holding  a 


158  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

newspaper  and  hitting  the  corner  of  it  a  sharp 
tap.  Then  there  was  the  whizzing  above  you 
all  the  time.  There  was  also  above  you  the 
screech  of  shrapnel  from  the  Spanish  artillery. 
This  sound  is  readily  comparable  to  putting 
the  power  on  an  electric  trolley  car.  The 
trolley  in  starting  has  but  a  small  quantity 
of  the  power  put  on  by  the  motorman,  and 
it  increases  from  a  low  hum  to  a  hissing 
screech. 

The  shrieking  of  shells  and  shrapnel  over 
my  head  had  a  fascination  for  me  akin  to  the 
eye  of  the  hypnotist  on  his  subject,  for  I 
could  not  prevent  my  head  turning  upward 
when  they  hissed  by,  and  I  could  not  restrain 
the  idea  from  arising  in  me  that  I  ought  to 
photograph  them  as  they  flew.  As  the  morn- 
ing wore  on  and  the  battle  grew  fiercer,  the 
wounded  and  the  dead  were  now  increasing 
in  number  momentarily.  This  did  not  con- 
tribute to  the  cheerfulness  of  our  men.  As 
they  saw  comrades  being  helped  to  the  rear, 
where  they  were  taken  care  of  by  the  Red 
Cross  helpers,  the  men  would  say  to  them- 
selves: "  Well,  he  has  got  it.  Maybe  we  will 
get  it  next,  but  I  bet  somebody  gets  it  from 


I  i 


THE   SIEGE   OF   SANTIAGO.  159 

me  first !  "  Nothing  daunted  these  men,  for 
they  jumped  right  into  the  place  left  vacant 
by  a  dead  or  wounded  comrade. 

In  travelling  down  the  narrow  trail  on 
the  right  of  the  Seventy-first  Regiment  I 
came  across  two  wounded  men  who  were 
lying  apparently  lifeless.  I  had  some  of  the 
bandages  which  are  supplied  among  the  arti- 
cles of  use  in  first  aid  to  the  wounded,  which 
I  applied  as  best  I  could.  After  doing  this, 
and  stopping  the  rush  of  blood,  one  of  the 
men  asked  me  to  sit  him  up  against  an  old 
tree  stump.  He  said,  "  I  know  you  can  not 
take  care  of  me,  but  put  me  against  that 
tree  in  a  position  where  I  can  see  around  me, 
and  give  me  my  gun  and  I  will  take  my 
chances." 

I  did  as  best  I  could  for  this  poor  fellow, 
the  bullets  meanwhile  whistling  around  in 
close  proximity.  I  did  not  know  whence 
these  bullets  came,  but  I  thought  from  their 
direction  that  they  must  have  come  from 
our  troops,  although  the  line  of  battle  was 
fully  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  advance.  I 
turned  to  leave  this  man,  thinking  that  the 
Red  Cross  aids  would  soon  come  along,  as 


j6o  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

they  were  doing  good  work  among  the 
wounded,  when  I  heard  a  cry  of  agony, 
and  I  turned  and  saw  this  man  fall  face  down 
to  the  earth.  He  had  been  shot,  as  I  found 
later  on,  clean  through  the  temple. 

These  promiscuous  shots,  we  found  later, 
came  from  the  sharpshooters,  who  were  thick- 
ly planted  in  the  trees  all  around  the  field 
of  action.  Several  instances  have  been  re- 
corded which  did  not  come  under  my  per- 
sonal notice,  but  which  I  know  to  be  facts, 
of  many  of  the  doctors  and  Red  Cross  nurses 
and  aids  who  were  attending  to  the  wounded 
on  the  battlefield  having  been  shot  by  these 
treacherous  and  cruel  Spanish  sharpshooters 
in  the  trees.  The  Red  Cross  on  a  man's  arm 
gave  no  immunity  against  bullets  when  the 
wearer  was  an  American,  but  rather  seemed 
to  invite  these  creatures  to  show  their  bru- 
tality. Following  along  in  the  rear  of  the 
Third  Brigade,  I  made  up  my  mind  that  I 
wanted  some  pictures,  and  I  wanted  them 
badly;  but  no  one  can  conceive  the  difficul- 
ties of  making  pictures  of  men  in  action,  par- 
ticularly where  they  are  continually  covered 
with  dense  clouds  of  sulphurous  smoke.  On 


V 


THE    SIEGE   OF   SANTIAGO.  l6l 

several  occasions  I  had  very  advantageous 
positions  for  securing  good  photos. 

In  crossing  the  river  early  in  the  morn- 
ing I  had  marched  along  with  the  Seventy- 
first  Regiment  of  New  York  for  quite  a  dis- 
tance; when  we  branched  off  for  El  Pozo  I 
left  them.  Later  in  the  morning,  as  I  have 
said  before,  I  followed  in  the  rear  of  the  Third 
Brigade,  and  came  close  up  to  where  the 
Seventy-first  New  York  Volunteers  were  now 
engaged  in  deadly  combat.  The  fire  was 
galling.  It  was  simply  awful,  but  I  made  my- 
self feel  as  much  at  home  as  I  possibly  could. 
I  was  directly  on  the  right  wing  of  this  regi- 
ment, and  saw  them  at  close  range  during 
part  of  the  time  they  were  in  action. 

A  short  time  before  noon  I  was  peering 
through  my  glasses  when  I  saw  one  or  two 
companies  in  advance  of  the  remainder  of 
the  regiment.  I  could  not  quite  understand 
how  this  was,  when  suddenly  I  saw  a  halt  in 
the  advance  of  these  men.  They  were  de- 
ployed as  skirmishers,  and  were  sending  in 
a  galling  fire  upon  the  enemy  which  was  very 
effective. 

These  two  companies  had  the  old  type 


!62  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

of  powder,  and  every  time  they  fired  a  shot 
it  made  a  target  at  which  the  enemy  aimed. 
I  could  see  the  officers  every  now  and  then 
running  up  and  down  the  line  of  fire,  urging 
the  men  on,  when  suddenly  everything 
seemed  to  become  quiet.  Presumably  the 
officers  had  been  killed  or  wounded,  for  I 
could  no  longer  see  any  officer  in  charge 
of  these  t\vo  companies,  now  numbering  be- 
tween one  hundred  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men,  when  suddenly  I  saw  this  group  of 
men  rise  as  if  out  of  the  earth  and  retreat  to 
the  rear  in  order  to  connect  themselves  with 
the  main  body  of  the  regiment.  As  soon 
as  these  men  raised  themselves  so  that  they 
showed  slightly  above  the  high  grass,  the 
enemy's  sharpshooters  concentrated  their 
fire  upon  them.  Finding  themselves  in  an 
exposed  position,  they  made  as  hasty  and 
orderly  a  retreat  as  was  possible.  Reaching 
the  main  body  of  their  regiment,  they  im- 
mediately rallied  and  came  up  with  their  com- 
rades, fighting  as  they  had  done  before. 

I  have  an  impression  from  what  I  saw 
here — my  opinion  being  formed  from  my  ex- 
perience as  a  national  guardsman — that 


THE    SIEGE    OF    SANTIAGO.  163 

these  men,  finding  themselves  in  an  exposed 
position  and  without  officers  or  support,  de- 
cided that  it  was  better  to  fall  back  where 
they  could  get  officers  to  take  command,  and 
thereby  obtain  the  assistance  which  was  ab- 
solutely necessary  in  this  instance.  I  feel 
positively  assured  that  as  these  men  came 
back  they  got,  in  a  great  measure,  mixed 
up  with  the  Sixteenth  and  other  regiments, 
whose  officers  took  charge  of  them,  and  went 
back  to  the  firing  line  with  them.  Anything 
such  as  these  men  becoming  stampeded  and 
showing  the  white  feather  is  absolute  folly. 
It  was  simply  a  case  of  no  leader,  and  that 
there  was  no  leader  on  hand  was  no  fault 
of  theirs.  The  men  of  the  Seventy-first  for 
their  gallantry  during  the  day's  fight  received 
high  praise  from  the  regular  officers.  That 
those  brave  fellows  should  have  been  accused 
of  cowardice  by  irresponsible  idlers  was  a 
cruel  calumny,  to  be  refuted  when  the  truth 
became  known. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

THE    CHARGE   AT    EL   CANEY. 

Heroism  of  our  colored  troops — Bold  dash  for  the  fort — A 
correspondent's  wound — A  non-combatant's  prisoners- 
Victory  at  last — Some  unexpected  horrors. 

LEAVING  the  First  Division  of  the  Fifth 
Army  Corps,  we  made  our  way  over  to  El 
Caney,  sounds  of  a  heavy  engagement  with 
artillery  reaching  our  ears  as  we  progressed 
to  the  eastward.  After  an  hour's  riding,  we 
came  to  the  main  road  leading  to  El  Caney, 
and,  as  a  result  of  the  heavy  firing  which 
had  been  going  on  for  some  time,  many  were 
killed  and  wounded,  and  they  were  now  being 
brought  to  the  rear  for  transfer  to  the  First 
Division  Hospital.  On  our  route  we  passed 
a  coloured  trooper  who  was  being  assisted 
to  the  hospital.  When  I  met  him  I  said,  "  I 
see  they  have  touched  you,  old  sport." 

"  Why,  yas,  sir;  yas,  sir,  they  touched  me. 

It's  a  darned  shame  to  think  they  singled  me 
164 


THE    CHARGE    AT    EL   CANEY. 


I65 


out,  for  before  I  had  a  chance  to  raise  my 
rifle  they  touched  me  up  for  fair.  I  wouldn't 
care  so  much  if  they'd  given  me  a  chance  to 
touch  some  one  first.  I  was  just  standin' 
thar  waitin',  when  something  came  along 
and  said  '  Choo,'  and  they  just  *  chooed  '  me; 
but  I  guess  this  won't  last  long,  and  I  will 
soon  be  back  among  them." 

Such  was  the  feeling  of  these  brave  col- 
oured fellows. 

The  Tenth  and  Eleventh  United  States 
Cavalry  consisted  of  these  coloured  troops, 
and  they  were  a  goodly  sight  to  behold. 
When  they  came  to  barb-wire  fences,  or  any 
obstruction  of  that  kind  which  impeded 
progress,  they  used  to  sneak  up  to  them, 
skulking  and  creeping  from  corner  to  corner, 
when  suddenly  with  a  wild  dash  they  made 
a  gain  of  twenty  or  thirty  yards,  and,  while 
it  was  necessary  in  some  cases  for  the  troops 
to  keep  silent,  it  was  impossible  for  these 
men  to  restiain  their  animation.  With  a  bold 
rush,  swoop,  and  yell,  they  leaped  into  the 
very  jaws  of  death.  A  coloured  corporal  told 
me  that  night — he  was  in  charge  of  a  squad 
of  men  sent  out  in  a  skirmishing  party — that 


1 66  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

he  had  just  located  the  cause  of  the  havoc 
wrought  among  our  troops.  He  said  that  he 
had  been  lying  in  a  comfortable  position  with 
his  men  and  doing  as  much  damage  to  the 
enemy  as  possible.  These  men  were  to  the 
left  of  the  fort  and  blockhouse,  and  almost 
directly  south  of  the  town.  As  his  squad 
were  lying  there,  sending  in  their  little  pills, 
he  suddenly  found  himself  and  his  men  the 
centre  of  fire  from  a  northerly  direction.  He 
could  not  imagine  where  this  came  from, 
when,  upon  changing  his  position  behind  a 
large  boulder  and  placing  his  piece  on  the 
stone,  he  looked  around  for  a  while,  and 
thought  the  firing  proceeded  from  a  large 
steeple.  He  then  directed  the  fire  of  his 
squad  on  this  church  steeple,  and  with  good 
effect,  for  when  this  church  was  afterward 
turned  into  a  Red  Cross  hospital  and  head- 
quarters for  the  distribution  of  food  I  saw 
that  some  great  execution  had  been  done  by 
somebody. 

I  met  this  trooper  at  the  same  church 
afterward,  and  as  he  saw  me  he  looked  up  at 
the  steeple  with  pride,  and  said,  "  Massa,  you 
want  to  take  a  picture  of  that,  and  I  hope 


THE   CHARGE   AT    EL   CANEY. 


I67 


you  will  tell  me  where  I  can  get  one,  for  that 
is  where  I  did  the  dons." 

And  there  is  no  doubt  he  did,  for  the 
bodies  of  several  Spaniards  were  taken  from 
the  steeple  that  night. 

When  our  troops  had  come  within  hail- 
ing distance  of  this  fort  at  El  Caney,  and  it 
was  decided  that  it  was  time  to  charge  the 
trenches  and  the  hill,  Lawton's  battery  had 
now  formed  in  position  to  the  eastward  and 
was  shelling  the  central  point,  from  which 
the  Spaniards  were  doing  such  deadly  work. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  history  will 
record  this  as  a  great  battle,  but  the  historian 
must  not  forget  to  give  the  Spaniards  due 
credit  for  their  work  at  this  place.  Never 
did  men  fight  so  fiercely;  never  did  an  of- 
ficer urge  his  men  on  so  eagerly  as  the  officer 
in  charge  of  the  troops  in  the  first  intrench- 
ments  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  round  the  block- 
house at  El  Caney.  He  was  seen  to  march 
up  and  down  the  trenches  as  erect  and  dig- 
nified as  though  he  were  on  dress  parade. 
If  Spain  had  any  honour  and  bravery,  a  large 
amount  was  concentrated  in  this  single  officer. 
His  conduct  was  magnificent.  He  simply 


1 68  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

banged  away  and  urged  his  men  on  to  the  last 
desperate  extremity.  They  knew  that  their 
end  was  near;  they  knew  that  they  could  not 
possibly  win  with  such  men  against  them; 
they  saw  our  troops  coming  nearer  and  nearer, 
until  they  were  within  a  very  short  distance, 
and,  as  one  of  the  officers  captured  at  this 
fort  told  me  the  next  day,  had  our  men  held 
off  a  little  longer,  they  would  certainly  have 
surrendered,  as  their  ammunition  was  becom- 
ing very  short.  But  it  seemed  as  though  our 
troops  were  desperate;  they  had  but  one  end 
in  view,  and  that  was  to  make  as  quick  busi- 
ness of  this  assault  as  possible.  I  told  him 
that  in  America  the  one  great  principle  in  the 
composition  of  the  thorough  American  was 
to  get  up  and  hustle,  and  that  is  what  our 
men  were  doing  here.  "  Yes,  but  it  was  walk- 
ing into  the  very  jaws  of  death,"  he  said; 
"  for  while  our  men  were  receiving  terrible 
wounds,  we  had  other  men  ready  to  take  their 
places,  and  we  were  in  a  far  better  position 
in  defending  than  the  Americans  in  attack- 
ing, for  the  Americans  had  to  expose  them- 
selves in  a  great  many  ways." 

When  our  men  reached  the  brow  of  the 


THE   CHARGE   AT    EL   CANEY. 


169 


hill  over  which  they  had  to  descend  into  the 
valley  they  encountered  several  barb-wire 
fences,  and  while  they  were  forcing  them- 
selves through  these  obstructions  they  were 
exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  Spaniards.  But 
nothing  daunted  when  our  men  saw  these 
blue-and-white  striped  terrors,  with  their 
large  hats  in  the  trenches,  they  were  like 
hungry  lions  at  the  sight  of  prey.  Nothing 
short  of  victory  absolute  and  complete  would 
satisfy  them.  I  shall  never  forget  the  col- 
oured boys  when  they  made  the  grand  charge 
over  the  barb-wire  fences  and  into  the 
trenches  filled  with  Spaniards.  They  had 
been  waiting  and  watching  for  a  chance,  and, 
as  though  every  man  had  been  ordered  to  do 
this  thing  at  this  time,  they  did  it.  Lawton's 
battery  had  just  found  the  range  of  this  fort, 
and  was  playing  havoc  with  it.  Two  shots 
had  already  taken  effect  when  a  third  came 
and  completely  demolished  one  corner,  send- 
ing up  brickwork  and  earth  high  into  the  air, 
when  with  a  sudden  yell  these  two  regiments 
of  coloured  troops  made  their  bold  dash  for 
the  Spanish  trenches,  and  before  any  one 
knew  what  had  happened  they  were  running 


CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 

and  jumping  into  the  very  muzzles  of 
the  rifles  of  the  enemy.  No  quarter  was 
shown  until  the  bugle  sounded  "  Cease 
firing!  " 

It  had  to  be  sounded  twice,  for  these  men 
were  now  let  loose  and  desperate  in  their 
deadly  work.  They  were  like  Irishmen  at 
a  county  fair,  who,  armed  with  shillalahs, 
crack  every  head  above  the  horizon.  But 
these  men,  on  the  whole,  certainly  were  mer- 
ciful. As  soon  as  the  order  was  sounded 
every  man  was  upon  his  mettle  and  the 
wounded  were  cared  for  and  the  others  dis- 
armed at  the  earliest  possible  moment. 

On  the  right,  and  where  the  charge  was 
made  by  the  Seventh  or  Seventeenth  (I  can 
not  say  positively  which;  I  think  both),  on 
the  blockhouse  on  the  heights  of  the  hill  was 
a  fort,  and  James  Creelman  was  the  first  to 
gain  this  fort.  He  rushed  in,  backed  up  by 
several  of  our  troopers,  and,  grasping  the 
halyards  of  the  torn  and  tattered  Spanish 
flag,  he  pulled  it  down  and  told  the  men 
in  the  fort  that  if  they  did  not  surrender  they 
would  be  shot  down.  As  he  was  about  to 
leave  the  fort  and  call  to  the  troops  to  come 


THE    CHARGE    AT    EL   CANEY.  \>ji 

forward,  a  Mauser  bullet  from  some  unknown 
source  struck  this  brave  newspaper  corre- 
spondent in  the  left  arm.  The  ball  shattered 
his  shoulder  blade  and  came  out  of  his  back 
just  under  the  shoulder.  A  corporal  from 
the  Seventh  Regiment  caught  him  as  he  was 
about  to  fall  and  carefully  laid  him  down, 
when  his  friends  arrived  and  carried  him  to 
a  place  of  safety.  All  was  now  excitement  in 
and  around  this  fort.  Shots  quite  numerous 
were  being  fired  from  the  town,  until  a  com- 
pany had  to  be  sent  there  to  capture  or  kill 
whoever  refused  to  surrender  to  the  Ameri- 
can forces. 

It  was  now  becoming  quite  late,  and 
cloudy  in  the  extreme.  In  fact,  for  the  past 
two  hours  the  weather  had  not  been  good  for 
making  photographs.  But  what  a  delight- 
ful scene  this  would  have  been!  Here  the 
pen  had  the  advantage  of  the  camera's  eye. 
What  an  inspiring  picture  to  have  impressed 
upon  a  negative — the  soldiers  making  this 
noble  charge!  Fate,  however,  was  against 
me. 

After  getting  the  details  of  the  battle  and 
the  story  from  Mr.  Creelman  as  he  lay 


1^2  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

wounded  on  a  litter,  Mr.  Hearst  immediately 
made  for  Siboney  with  his  report,  so  as  to 
get  it  off  to  his  paper  at  the  earliest  possible 
moment.  Mr.  Follansbee  was  anxious  to  do 
something,  although  a  non-combatant  and 
one  who  had  gone  out  merely  for  adventure. 
He  eagerly  volunteered  to  go  with  twenty- 
five  men  and  search  the  village  and  take  all 
the  Spaniards  found  who  had  been  combat- 
ants. Speaking  the  Spanish  language  quite 
fluently,  and  having  boys  behind  him  made 
of  the  right  stuff,  they  were  just  adapted  for 
this  work.  They  went  from  house  to  house, 
taking  prisoners  here  and  there.  At  one 
dwelling  they  found  standing  outside  the 
door  five  or  six  Mauser  rifles — a  sign  that 
their  owners  had  surrendered.  The  cavalry- 
men who  accompanied  Mr.  Follansbee,  with 
their  revolvers  drawn,  were  quite  energetic 
in  searching  every  little  nook  and  corner 
where  it  was  possible  for  men  to  be  hidden. 
Several  of  the  men  who  had  been  defending 
the  trenches  and  El  Caney  against  our  forces 
that  day  had  hurriedly  retreated  to  the 
houses  where  their  families  were  and  changed 
their  clothing,  so  that  they  looked  spick, 


THE   CHARGE   AT    EL   CANEY. 


173 


span,  and  innocent  when  found,  but  they 
were  known  by  the  Cubans  to  have  been 
engaged  on  the  other  side  a  short  time  be- 
fore. For  this  reason  they  became  our  pris- 
oners. 

In  entering  one  house,  which  was  a  little 
dry-goods  store,  the  woman  in  charge  was  so 
frightened  in  anticipation  of  some  harm  com- 
ing to  her  that  she  brought  out  several  bot- 
tles of  wine  to  give  to  our  troopers.  They 
politely  excused  themselves  and  went  for- 
ward on  their  errand.  Finding  a  door  that 
was  barred  and  locked  very  securely,  they 
asked  the  woman  for  the  key.  She  told  them 
she  had  no  key;  they  told  her  that  unless  the 
door  was  unlocked  they  would  batter  it  down. 
She  then  said  there  was  no  one  there.  Mr. 
Follansbee  ordered  the  troopers  to  batter 
down  the  door,  and,  with  a  cocked  revolver 
and  a  lighted  candle  in  hand,  he  peered  into 
the  darkness  of  the  cupboard  and  discovered 
five  Spanish  gentlemen,  all,  of  course,  full  to 
the  brim  with  bravery  and  honour,  hiding 
from  the  inevitable.  They  were  pulled  out 
unceremoniously  and  placed  with  the  rest  of 
the  prisoners. 


174  CANNON   AND  CAMERA. 

The  prisoners  were  being  marched  down 
a  back  lane  when  they  were  accosted  by  a 
coloured  Cuban,  who  went  in  among  them 
and  grasped  their  hands  quite  warmly.  Mr. 
Follansbee,  thinking  this  man  might  be  one 
of  their  number,  took  him  prisoner  also, 
for  be  it  known  that  a  great  many  Cubans 
as  well  as  Spaniards  were  fighting  against  our 
forces.  Every  man  or  boy  that  was  able  to 
carry  a  machete  or  handle  a  rifle  was  forced 
to  declare  for  one  side  or  the  other.  Thus  we 
were  not  fighting  the  Spaniards  alone,  but 
Cubans  who  were  Spanish  sympathizers. 
When  this  Cuban  black  was  taken  as  a  pris- 
oner he  resented  it  very  strongly,  and,  with 
uplifted  head  and  eyes  rolled  up  toward  the 
sky,  he  uttered  the  most  frightful  yell  I  ever 
heard.  He  called  to  his  God  for  protection, 
and  uttered  the  most  unearthly  cries  it  was 
possible  to  imagine.  When  ordered  to  desist 
from  this  air-tearing  practice,  he  declared  he 
was  a  Cuban  officer.  When  asked  to  show  his 
commission,  he  plunged  his  hand  down  into 
his  pocket  and  drew  forth  a  dirty  parchment, 
and  proved  that  he  was  an  officer  belonging 
to  the  Cuban  army. 


THE    CHARGE   AT    EL   CANEY.  175 

This  was  a  strange  case,  to  say  the  least, 
but  it  was  explained  afterward  that  previous 
to  our  invasion  the  Spanish  and  Cuban  of- 
ficers had  been  known  to  be  on  quite  friendly 
terms,  and  it  was  not  an  infrequent  occur- 
rence for  these  officers  to  spend  the  days  and 
evenings  in  social  games  of  one  kind  or  an- 
other. 

The  capture  of  El  Caney  revealed  many 
horrors.  It  was  not  only  the  refugees  who 
suffered.  My  heart  bled  for  our  own  brave 
men.  Clad  in  uniforms  utterly  unsuitable 
for  tropical  climates,  the  heat  of  the  sun  com- 
pelled them  to  throw  aside  their  kits  and 
blankets  when  the  order  to  engage  was 
given.  When  the  cold  night  dew  fell  on 
them  they  had  nothing  to  protect  them. 
Chills  and  fever  resulted.  The  hospital  serv- 
ice was  pitiably  inadequate.  The  Mauser 
bullet  was  in  a  great  measure  responsible 
for  this.  Under  the  old  system  of  fighting 
there  were  four  wounded  to  one  killed. 
Under  the  sway  of  the  Mauser  there  were 
nineteen  wounded  to  one  dead.  The 
wounded  require  care;  the  vultures  look  after 
the  killed.  This  unexpected  number  of 

21 


176  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

wounded  heavily  taxed  our  hospital  re- 
sources. 

It  is  a  painful  subject  to  dwell  on.  That 
our  sick  and  wounded  slept  in  swamps  with- 
out shelter  is  too  true.  That  our  camps  were 
unsanitary,  that  disinfectants  were  sorely 
lacking,  is  also  beyond  dispute.  The  theo- 
retical camps  on  paper,  where  all  precautions 
were  to  be  taken  for  preserving  the  health  of 
our  troops,  proved  to  be  myths.  The  regu- 
lations concerning  the  boiling  of  water  be- 
fore drinking,  the  disinfection  of  the  trenches, 
the  prevention  of  men  from  sleeping  on  the 
bare  ground,  were  all  disregarded,  the  result 
being  the  popular  indignation  now  raging  as 
I  write.  If  these  battle-field  and  camp  hor- 
rors of  the  American  Army  are  the  outcome 
of  the  regime  of  politics,  then  let  politics 
have  a  needed  and  thorough  shaking  up. 
Let  the  field  artillery  commence  a  bombard- 
ment of  the  rascals  and  blow  them  out  of 
existence,  as  they  deserve. 

The  sight  of  the  refugees  at  El  Caney 
was  most  harrowing.  Wounded  and  starv- 
ing men  dragging  themselves  twelve  miles 
from  the  front  to  the  hospital  at  Siboney, 


Copyright, 


Seeking  refuge  before  the  bombardment. 


THE   CHARGE   AT   EL   CANEY. 


177 


dying  by  the  wayside,  and  becoming  prey 
for  the  vultures  and  buzzards,  was  bad 
enough.  But  when  it  is  borne  in  mind  that 
women,  old  and  young,  with  children,  from 
babes  in  arms  to  their  teens,  formed  part 
of  the  same  mournful  procession,  the  hor- 
rors accumulate.  They  had  fled  from  Santi- 
ago in  dread  of  bombardment.  The  vultures 
had  a  grim  and  terrible  banquet. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

OUR    BOLD    ROUGH    RIDERS. 

Colonel  Roosevelt  as  a  fighter — He  inspires  his  brave  men — 
Heroes  in  the  field — Sad  scenes  in  the  hospitals — Crimi- 
nal incompetence  or  what  ? — Burial  of  a  soldier  without 
benefit  of  clergy. 

IN  the  progress  of  the  battles  on  July  ist 
and  2d  a  great  many  deeds  of  heroism  came 
to  my  notice.  The  men  were  told  before 
going  into  battle  that  their  one  mission  and 
aim  was  to  kill,  to  defeat  the  enemy,  no  mat- 
ter what  the  consequences,  as  long  as  it  was 
done  in  an  honourable  way.  This  admoni- 
tion was  in  every  sense  of  the  word  strictly 
and  religiously  adhered  to  by  our  troops  so 
far  as  I  know;  but,  oh,  how  frequently  the 
rules  and  customs  of  civilized  nations  for  reg- 
ulating warfare  were  violated  by  the  dons! 
Soon  after  the  engagement  of  July  ist,  and 
even  before  the  men  were  actually  called  to 

the  line  of  battle,  the  shrapnel  was  doing  its 

178 


OUR    BOLD    ROUGH    RIDERS.  179 

deadly  work  in  our  lines.  Men  waiting  their 
turn  to  be  ordered  to  the  fighting  line  to  do 
execution  on  the  enemy  were  smote  down  by 
the  shrapnel  and  stray  bullets,  whose  fire 
they  could  not  return. 

It  was  interesting  and  sad  to  see  the  men 
brought  in  to  the  field  hospital  in  the  rear 
of  the  line.  The  first  wounded  man  who  came 
under  my  notice  was  a  Rough  Rider,  who 
had  been  on  the  second  skirmish  line,  but 
not  on  the  fighting  line  that  day,  being  held 
in  reserve.  While  acting  as  supports  to  the 
left  of  the  First  Brigade  shrapnel  were  drop- 
ping around  in  large  numbers  from  the  ene- 
my's artillery,  fragments  of  which  when  they 
burst  maimed  and  wounded  quite  a  few  of  the 
Rough  Riders.  During  this  period  of  wait- 
ing Colonel  Roosevelt  was  going  up  and 
down  the  line  of  his  regiment,  seeing  that  his 
men  were  ready  and  thoroughly  equipped  for 
immediate  action  should  they  be  called  into 
play.  This  man  is  a  wonder  in  many  ways. 
He  seemed  to  be  absolutely  ignorant  of  the 
nature  of  fear,  and  regarded  the  entire  situa- 
tion as  but  belonging  to  the  commonplace  as 
he  went  swinging  up  and  down  the  line,  stop- 


CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

ping  here  and  there  to  make  a  remark  to  one 
of  his  officers.  When  he  observed  a  face 
turned  to  him  with  an  inquiring  look,  he 
would  give  a  nod  of  recognition. 

He  said  to  his  men:  "  Boys,  this  is  the 
day  we  repeat  what  we  have  done  before. 
You  know  we  are  surrounded  by  the  regu- 
lars. They  are  round  us  thick  and  heavy. 
Don't  forget  where  you  belong.  Don't  for- 
get what  you  are  fighting  for.  Don't  forget, 
boys,  that  your  reward  is  not  in  the  imme- 
diate present,  but  think  of  what  will  come  in 
the  future." 

To  me  Colonel  Roosevelt  appeared  to  be 
in  thorough  touch  with  every  man  in  his  com- 
mand, and  really  he  seemed  to  have  a  personal 
acquaintance  with  every  man  from  major  to 
coffee  grinder.  He  had  gained  the  esteem 
and  confidence  of  every  man  in  his  regiment. 
He  had  made  himself  "  one  of  the  boys,"  and 
they  knew  it,  and  I  was  certain  that,  no  mat- 
ter where  this  man  would  lead  them,  they 
would  follow,  regardless  of  what  the  results 
might  be.  He  imparted  to  his  men  that  won- 
derful determination  and  courage  which  he 
himself  possesses,  and  which  is  contagious 


OUR    BOLD   ROUGH    RIDERS.  igl 

under  the  inspiration  of  a  born  leader.  The 
possession  of  this  attribute  assures  victory. 
It  is  beyond  description.  Only  those  who 
saw  and  felt  it  could  understand  his  influ- 
ence. It  did  not  need  a  command  through  a 
megaphone  and  a  shout  and  flash  of  the  sword 
to  get  the  men  to  move,  but  the  simple  wave 
of  his  hand  was  sufficient  for  every  man  who 
could  see  him  to  know  that  he  was  going 
ahead  and  that  he  wanted  them  to  follow,  it 
mattered  not  where. 

As  I  observed  Colonel  Roosevelt  thus 
going  among  his  men,  inspiring  them  with 
the  same  burning  enthusiasm  with  which  his 
whole  being  was  aglow,  I  was  reminded  of  a 
memorable  event  some  months  before  in 
which  he  was  the  central  figure.  The  scene 
was  Fort  Hamilton,  New  York  harbour,  and 
the  occasion  was  the  calling  out  of  the  New 
York  naval  militia  for  its  annual  parade  and 
inspection.  Colonel  Roosevelt  was  at  that 
time  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and 
was  making  things  "  hustle  "  with  his  usual 
dash. 

The  men  were  formed  in  hollow  square, 
and  the  colonel  delivered  one  of  his  charac- 


1 82  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

teristic  speeches,  full  of  patriotic  fire.  He 
reminded  the  young  men  whom  he  addressed 
that  there  was  a  good  deal  of  difference  be- 
tween "  funning  "  and  fighting  ;  that,  while 
the  Government  was  pleased  to  afford  a  little 
aquatic  amusement  and  diversion  to  the  mili- 
tia in  time  of  peace,  it  would  demand  in  re- 
turn much  self-sacrifice,  devotion,  and  endur- 
ance when  the  dogs  of  war  were  let  loose. 

All  this  he  jerked  out  in  short  ejaculatory 
sentences,  emphatic  and  epigrammatic.  He 
impressed  me  as  being  dead  in  earnest.  From 
that  hour  I  respected  Colonel  Roosevelt. 

It  had  been  said  before  the  first  battle 
in  which  these  Rough  Riders  took  part  that 
the  men  were  doubtless  splendid  fighters,  but 
fighters  who  were  proficient  chiefly  in  their 
individual  capacity.  It  was  predicted  that 
collectively  they  would  not  do  braver  or  more 
efficient  duty  than  other  men,  for  the  reason 
that  they  were  not  capable  of  organization 
and  effective  united  action — in  a  word,  that 
each  man  would  fight  for  himself.  This  did 
not  prove  to  be  correct,  for  every  man  stood 
practically  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  his  com- 
rade, and  when  an  order  came  to  advance  or 


OUR   BOLD    ROUGH    RIDERS.  183 

charge  or  fire  it  was  done  as  by  one  man,  and 
nothing  could  have  been  more  precise  and 
military  than  all  the  movements  of  the  Rough 
Riders  in  every  instance. 

Along  the  road  leading  to  San  Juan  early 
in  the  morning  it  was  my  chance  to  meet  one 
of  the  Rough  Riders,  who  was  being  helped 
along  by  two  men.  As  he  approached  me  I 
levelled  the  camera  at  him,  and  made  my  first 
shot  at  a  wounded  American. 

When  he  came  by  me  he  said:  "  I  think 
I  am  a  poor  subject.  I  am  certainly  an  un- 
lucky one." 

I  said,  "  How  is  that,  messmate?  " 

"  Why,"  he  replied,  "  I  haven't  had  a 
chance  to  fire  a  shot.  I  was  simply  lying 
there  when  I  got  touched." 

"  Are  you  hurt  very  much?  " 

"  Oh,  no;  this  arm,  however,  refuses  to  do 
duty,  and  I  must  now  report  to  the  man  of 
pills  and  lotions  and  let  him  find  out  what  is 
the  matter." 

A  little  farther  on  I  met  several  Cubans 
who  had  improvised  a  stretcher  made  from  a 
piece  of  canvas  stretched  over  the  limb  of  a 
tree.  In  this  arrangement  they  were  carrying 


!84  CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 

a  wounded  officer,  and  they  had  already  car- 
ried him  possibly  a  mile.  After  making  a 
picture  of  this  curious  incident,  as  the  officer 
was  in  terrible  agony,  I  volunteered  my 
service  to  help  them  along  a  little.  I  took 
hold  of  one  end  of  the  litter  while  the  two 
Cubans  took  the  other,  and  we  hastily  car- 
ried the  officer  toward  the  hospital. 

Suddenly  he  opened  his  eyes  and  saw  me, 
and  said  :  "  My  friend,  I  am  afraid  I  shall 
never  reach  the  hospital.  Won't  you  please 
let  me  rest  here?  "  I  asked  him  where  he  had 
been  shot,  and  he  answered,  "  In  the  side." 
I  asked  him  if  he  had  been  bandaged,  and  he 
said:  "  No;  but  I  have  my  hand  on  the  place, 
and  I  dare  not  let  it  go,  for  I  fear  I  should 
bleed  to  death." 

This  officer  to  my  knowledge  held  his 
hand  upon  this  wound,  made  by  a  Mauser 
bullet,  while  he  was  being  carried  a  distance 
of  two  miles.  Such  cases,  however,  were  not 
frequent,  for  generally  whenever  a  man  got 
wounded  some  of  the  Red  Cross  aids  were 
soon  close  by  in  attendance.  They  bandaged 
the  men  in  the  best  way  they  could  until  the 
field  ambulances  came  along  and  took  them 


OUR    BOLD    ROUGH    RIDERS. 


185 


to  the  hospital.  At  the  hospital  on  the  first 
day  when  the  wounded  arrived  the  scene  was 
one  of  total  confusion.  They  were  scarcely 
ready  at  that  time  for  the  work  of  healing 
and  attending  the  wounded.  Operating  sur- 
geons were  very  scarce,  and,  while  Major 
Wood  was  turning  everything  almost  upside 
down  in  order  to  make  the  men  comfortable, 
it  was  absolutely  beyond  his  power  to  do 
them  all  service.  In  some  instances  anaes- 
thetics were  administered  by  persons  ignorant 
of  their  use.  Our  losses  were  very  heavy,  for 
the  stream  of  wounded  men  being  brought  in 
was  almost  continuous. 

There  were  several  operating  tents,  each 
with  two  or  three  operating  tables  in 
them,  and  these  tables  were  all  occupied 
until  long  into  the  night.  Amputations 
and  minor  surgical  operations  were  numer- 
ous. The  heat  of  the  day  was  awful.  A 
driver  of  a  provision  wagon  who  had  brought 
in  a  load  of  wounded  men  from  the  front, 
and  had  left  them  before  one  of  the  operat- 
ing tents  at  the  First  Division  Hospital, 
before  taking  his  seat  on  the  wagon  to  go 
out  for  another  load  went  to  his  fore  horse 

22 


1 86  CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 

to  adjust  some  little  disarrangement  of  the 
harness,  when  I  saw  him  suddenly  waver  and 
fall  almost  at  my  feet.  This  man  had  been 
doing  heroic  duty  in  helping  the  wounded 
to  the  place  where  they  would  receive  atten- 
tion and  be  cared  for  when  he  was  suddenly 
overcome  by  sunstroke.  This  seemed  a  pity, 
but  it  was  the  fortune  of  war.  In  a  moment 
another  man  was  at  the  ambulance,  up  on  the 
seat,  and  off  with  the  wagon  as  though  noth- 
ing had  happened.  Helping  hands  raised  the 
poor  stricken  driver,  took  him  to  a  shady 
nook,  and  there  accorded  him  attention. 

While  taking  a  picture  at  one  of  the  op- 
erating tents  of  a  man's  leg  being  amputated, 
I  had  made  two  plates  when  suddenly  I  heard 
loud  sobs.  I  turned  to  ask  my  assistant,  Jim, 
for  another  holder,  when  I  noticed  tears 
streaming  down  his  cheeks,  his  whole  body 
shaking  and  trembling.  Seeing  that  he  was 
about  to  fall,  I  grasped  him  and  asked  him 
the  cause  of  his  trouble. 

"  Jack,"  he  said,  "  I  can  stand  to  see  these 
men  shot.  I  saw  them  fall  in  battle;  but  this 
is  something  beyond  my  endurance." 

With  that  he  collapsed  into  my  arms.    It 


OUR   BOLD   ROUGH    RIDERS. 


I87 


was  not  the  sight  of  a  single  amputation 
which  taxed  his  powers,  but  the  other  scenes 
of  the  poor,  helpless  wretches  sitting  around 
and  biding  their  time  for  an  opportunity  to 
come  under  the  edge  of  the  knife  or  the  grind- 
ing teeth  of  the  surgical  saw  with  an  expect- 
ancy and  desire  as  strong  apparently  as  that 
of  the  gallery  gods  at  the  side  door  of  a  popu- 
lar playhouse  waiting  the  hour  when  they  can 
be  admitted  to  purchase  their  tickets  and  see 
the  performance.  They  were  all  anxious  to 
have  it  over,  and  in  some  cases  they  displayed 
eagerness  to  undergo  an  operation  which 
meant  either  life  after  suffering  or  death  while 
suffering  great  pain. 

After  a  man  left  the  hands  of  the  surgeon 
he  was  taken  out  from  the  operating  tent 
and  placed  in  a  receiving  tent,  where  he  was 
supposed  to  get  the  necessary  care  and  nour- 
ishment which  his  case  required.  As  I  went 
among  these  brave  heroes,  I  was  asked  time 
and  time  again  for  a  "  drink,"  something  that 
would  buoy  them  up,  something  that  would 
give  them  a  little  life.  This  was  sadly  want- 
ing in  this  First  Division  Hospital.  A  man 
after  undergoing  a  severe  surgical  opera- 


1 88  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

tion  wants  some  stimulant — something  to 
strengthen  his  heart,  something  to  act  upon 
his  nerves  more  beneficially  than  watching 
other  men  similarly  afflicted  undergoing  as 
great  or  greater  torture  than  that  which  he 
has  just  felt.  But  nothing  in  the  way  of 
brandy,  whisky,  or  strychnine  (which,  I  be- 
lieve, is  used  in  many  case  to  strengthen  the 
heart)  was  given.  Not  being  a  medical  man, 
I  may  be  wrong  about  strychnine,  but  I  am 
positive  from  my  own  observations  that  many 
of  the  wounded  suffered  severely  for  want  of 
a  stimulant.  I  know  that  many  a  poor  fellow 
lay  there  all  that  night  through  the  drench- 
ing rain,  and  the  following  day  also,  with 
nothing  but  a  cracker  and  a  drink  of  water, 
when  he  should  have  had  all  the  nourishment 
his  case  required.  This  was  another  case 
where  General  Mismanagement  and  General 
Neglect  were  in  command. 

It  was  hard  to  see  these  poor  men  suffer- 
ing at  this  time,  but  one  could  not  help  them, 
as  there  was  nothing  to  help  them  with.  No 
one  was  to  blame  for  this  treatment  but  the 
officials  in  the  service  of  Uncle  Sam  who  were 
in  charge  of  the  various  departments  and  who 


OUR   BOLD   ROUGH    RIDERS. 


189 


permitted  such  lax  work.  It  may  answer 
some  objectors  when  the  statement  is  made 
that  one  man  can  not  see  that  everything  is 
done,  but  in  my  opinion  this  excuse  does  not 
fit  the  case.  Has  not  the  Government  given 
these  officials  all  the  aid  they  want  or  could 
possibly  use  in  the  proper  performance  of  the 
work  in  their  departments,  and  are  they  not 
responsible  just  in  the  same  manner  as  an 
employer  in  civil  life  holds  responsible  his 
superintendent  and  general  manager?  This 
shifting  and  dodging  are  characteristic  of 
moss-covered  officialdom  and  the  doctrine  of 
how  not  to  do  it.  Surely  the  nation  is  en- 
titled to  at  least  a  portion  of  the  energy  not 
spent  in  self-admiration  and  to  a  few  mo- 
ments of  the  time  for  which  it  pays  more  than 
ample  remuneration. 

As  I  went  back  toward  the  fighting  line 
the  roads  were  crowded  with  the  wounded 
who  were  being  brought  in.  At  the  cross 
roads  near  the  San  Juan  River  a  scene  met 
my  eyes  which  I  shall  never  forget — a  scene 
that  looked  like  cold-blooded  and  wanton 
cruelty.  To  this  place  the  men  were  con- 
ducted from  points  of  danger,  in  order  that 


CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

they  might  be  comparatively  safe,  and  there 
they  waited  for  the  ambulances  to  come  along 
and  bear  them  to  the  rear.  For  hours  and 
hours  they  were  kept  at  this  point,  and  all 
the  encouragement  the  wounded  soldiers  re- 
ceived were  words  of  cheer  from  the  wounded 
comrade  on  his  right  or  left.  Each  one 
seemed  to  think  the  case  of  the  man  next  to 
him  was  more  deserving  of  sympathy  than 
his  own. 

I  remember  talking  to  one  poor  fellow 
who  was  shot  in  the  back  of  the  neck.  I 
asked  him  how  he  came  by  a  shot  there.  He 
said:  "  Well,  I  will  tell  you.  It  was  my  own 
company  mate  that  did  it.  I  was  lying  down 
in  the  grass,  rather  low,  refilling  my  rifle,  and 
I  rose  on  my  knee  to  fire,  when  suddenly 
my  mate's  gun  was  discharged  and  touched 
me." 

In  making  further  inquiries,  I  found  that 
many  laid  the  blame  of  their  wounds  on 
men  in  their  own  companies.  It  was  im- 
possible to  see  a  man  more  than  ten  or 
fifteen  feet  beyond  you  in  such  high  grass 
and  shrubbery  as  the  army  encountered 
on  its  way  to  San  Juan.  Hence  it  was 


by  W 


Cubans,  near  San  Juan,  carrying  a  wounded  soldier  to  the 


Copyright,  1898,  by  \V.  R.  H« 


OUR    BOLD    ROUGH    RIDERS.  \g\ 

that    men    were    shot    by    their    own    com- 
rades. 

The  men  who  were  killed  were  being 
buried  as  decently  as  circumstances  would 
allow.  One  instance  which  I  recall  was  that 
of  four  Cubans  carrying  one  of  our  soldiers  to 
the  rear.  They  had  borne  him  from  the  fir- 
ing line  to  a  point  where  he  was  free  from  im- 
mediate danger.  He  was  very  badly  shot. 
This  is  one  thing  I  can  not  understand:  sev- 
eral men  will  be  in  a  skirmish  line  together; 
a  whole  volley  is  fired  from  the  Spanish 
trenches,  and  a  man  who  is  scarcely  ten  feet 
from  another  will  escape  every  bullet,  while 
the  other  man,  his  comrade  on  the  right  or 
left,  will  be  pierced  from  head  to  foot.  The 
man  to  whom  I  refer  must  have  had  six  or 
seven  bullet  wounds  in  his  body.  The  Cubans 
asked  me  if  I  had  any  water.  I  told  them  I 
had  some  in  my  canteen,  and  that  I  would 
give  this  poor  fellow  a  drink.  They  stopped, 
and  as  they  placed  the  litter  down  on  the  road 
I  put  the  mouth  of  the  canteen  to  the  soldier's 
lips.  But  he  was  beyond  the  help  of  mortal. 
He  had  already  breathed  his  last.  His  heart 
had  ceased  its  beating  and  throbbing. 


I92  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

We  took  him  aside,  hastily  dug  a  grave, 
and  as  we  were  about  to  cover  him  up  with 
the  earth,  and  there  was  no  chaplain  or  theo- 
logian to  administer  the  last  rites  to  this  poor 
dead  man,  I  took  it  upon  myself  to  say  de- 
voutly, "  Earth  to  earth,  and  ashes  to  ashes," 
coupled  with  an  earnest  inward  hope  that  he 
had  gone  to  meet  his  God  as  a  brave  man 
should. 

The  Cubans  were  quite  impressed  with 
this  simple  ceremony,  and  at  its  conclusion, 
without  waiting  for  anything,  they  started 
back  to  the  line  to  aid  others.  I  found  that 
during  the  first  and  second  days'  fighting 
the  Cubans  had  done  good  service  in  this 
manner. 

The  many  requests  I  met  at  the  hands  of 
the  wounded  were  varied  and  peculiar.  Most 
of  them  bore  their  pain  with  great  fortitude 
all  through  ;  cries  and  moans  were  seldom 
heard,  and  only  in  cases  of  extreme  agony 
would  a  sound  be  uttered.  As  they  had 
shown  bravery  on  the  fighting  line,  so  was 
their  conduct  under  the  lance,  knife,  saw,  and 
needle  of  the  surgeons.  I  saw  several  opera- 
tions where  the  subjects  entering  emerged 


OUR   BOLD   ROUGH    RIDERS. 


193 


victims,  and  as  they  were  laid  out  for  burial 
and  Old  Glory  waved  its  folds  above  them  I 
thought  :  Such  is  the  hero's  reward  from 
his  country;  what  his  Maker  gives  we  know 
not. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

SHARPSHOOTERS  IN  ACTION. 

Persecution  by  Spanish  marksmen — Narrow  escapes  from 
death — The  capture  of  the  blockhouse — Life  in  the 
trenches— The  roll  call. 

I  OMITTED  to  say  that  the  second  day's 
battle  opened  very  early  in  the  morning  with 
volley  firing  from  the  Spanish  trenches  before 
Santiago,  and  was  at  once  answered  by  the 
repeating  fire  of  the  American  forces.  I  was 
that  night  camped  at  General  Shafter's  head- 
quarters, and  early  in  the  morning,  almost  be- 
fore daybreak,  we  were  suddenly  aroused  by 
the  noise.  I  quickly  scrambled  to  my  feet  and 
inquired  the  cause  from  some  of  the  troopers 
of  the  Fifth  Artillery.  I  was  told  we  were 
being  fired  upon  by  sharpshooters. 

What  caused  the  enemy's  sharpshooters 
to  make  an  attack  upon  General  Shafter's 
headquarters  was,  I  imagine,  because  they 

knew  he  was  not  in  the  field,  but  was  off  here 
194 


SHARPSHOOTERS    IN   ACTION.  jgcj 

in  his  headquarters,  five  or  six  miles  from  the 
firing  line.  General  Shafter  was  much  indis- 
posed during  the  first  and  second  days'  bat- 
tle, and  was  continually  confined  to  his  cot. 
Most  of  the  time  an  attendant  was  rubbing 
his  head,  for  what  purpose  I  can  not  imagine, 
but  the  general  must  have  derived  much  com- 
fort from  it,  for  the  man  was  engaged  in  a 
"  continuous  performance."  I  was  rather  sur- 
prised to  know  that  a  general  in  charge  of 
such  a  force  of  men  at  such  an  important  time 
would  permit  himself  to  be  so  far  in  the  rear 
of  his  forces,  but  such  was  the  information 
I  personally  acquired  at  this  period. 

The  Fifth  Artillery  went  in  search  of  these 
sharpshooters,  and  they  did  not  travel  far 
before  they  located  them  in  several  large 
mango  trees.  These  boys  were  angry  at  being 
interrupted  during  roll  call  and  having  to 
postpone  their  breakfast,  and  they  made 
short  shrift  of  these  "  dagoes  "  who  dared  per- 
petrate such  a  trick  on  the  general's  head- 
quarters. These  sharpshooters,  I  understand 
from  reliable  information,  were  men  who  had 
received  sentences  of  life  imprisonment  for 
various  crimes,  and  they  were  armed  and  sent 


196  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

on  this  duty  with  the  understanding  that  if 
they  earned  their  freedom  they  might  have  it. 
They  were  told  they  were  to  be  free  men  at 
the  end  of  the  war,  but  this  was  the  perilous 
price  which  they  had  to  pay.  The  stake  was 
sufficient  inducement  to  make  them  risk  their 
lives,  and  many  were  prevented  from  finish- 
ing their  term  of  service  either  in  prison  or 
in  the  ranks  by  our  bullets. 

Some  troopers  after  breakfast  were  sent 
along  to  El  Caney  with  hospital  wagons  to 
bring  in  the  wounded  to  the  general  hospital. 
As  I  wanted  to  see  El  Caney  again  and  get 
some  good  photographs  of  the  town  and  the 
fort,  it  having  been  too  late  on  the  previous 
evening  to  make  good  pictures,  I  followed 
along  with  this  detachment  of  troops.  We 
had  been  warned  that  sharpshooters  were  all 
along  the  trail  from  general  headquarters  to 
El  Caney.  This  was  a  march  of  four  or  five 
miles,  and  we  were  continually  expecting 
some  excitement.  Nothing  of  importance, 
however,  occurred  except  the  false  alarm 
given  at  intervals  by  those  plagued  land  crabs. 
We  soon  arrived  at  the  main  road  leading  to 
El  Caney.  On  reaching  the  gates  and  the 


Copyright,  1898,  by  W.  R.  Hearst. 

On  the  hunt  for  Spanish  sharpshooters  near  San  Juan. 


SHARPSHOOTERS   IN    ACTION. 


I97 


barricades  with  which  this  road  had  been  forti- 
fied, we  were  suddenly  fired  upon  from  a 
blockhouse  on  a  mountain  just  beyond  this 
little  town.  At  first  I  thought  it  was  some  of 
our  own  troops  who  were  firing,  through  ig- 
norance of  who  we  were,  but  as  I  saw  our 
men  in  the  fort  to  our  right  waving  and  beck- 
oning to  us  to  lie  low,  I  knew  something  else 
was  up.  We  could  not  understand  being 
fired  upon,  and  thought  it  might  possibly 
come  from  Cubans;  but  we  were  told  by  sev- 
eral Cubans  who  were  with  us  that  the  block- 
house just  beyond  this  town  was  still  occu- 
pied by  Spaniards.  This  did  not  affect  us 
very  materially,  for  I  went  to  work  and  made 
several  pictures  of  the  town,  its  surroundings, 
and  the  blockhouse  beyond. 

The  scene  in  and  about  this  little  town 
was  awful.  Dead  bodies  were  lying  around 
in  profusion,  dead  horses  were  numerous,  and 
the  vultures  were  having  quite  a  feast.  The 
people  of  El  Caney  had  not  yet  returned  to 
the  town,  and,  as  a  consequence,  their  dead 
had  not  been  removed  from  the  roadways  and 
paths  in  which  they  were  shot  down.  In 
crossing  from  one  house  on  the  outskirts  of 


198 


CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 


this  town  and  in  going  over  the  fences  toward 
the  church  I  came  across  a  very  pitiable  sight 
in  one  of  the  back  yards  of  one  of  the  little 
shanties.  A  little  boy  had  been  going  from 
one  yard  to  another  through  a  hole  in  the 
fence  separating  them,  and  had  got  about 
halfway  through  when  he  must  have  come  in 
the  line  of  a  bullet  or  piece  of  shell  fired  from 
our  artillery,  for  one  side  of  his  head  was  en- 
tirely blown  away  and  the  child  lay  flat  on 
his  face. 

I  returned  to  the  lower  road  and  made 
toward  the  main  fort  at  El  Caney,  when  fir- 
ing was  resumed  more  vigorously,  and  it  be- 
came apparent  that  we  were  the  targets  of 
some  Spaniards  half  or  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  away.  Our  boys  who  were  in  the  fort 
yelled  and  waved  to  us  to  get  out  of  the  line 
of  their  vision;  but  we  were  after  pictures, 
and  had  to  have  them,  so  we  stood  the  firing 
as  long  as  was  necessary. 

When  we  reached  an  old  tumble-down 
hovel  which  lay  directly  in  front  of  the  fort 
I  halted  my  horse,  and,  as  I  wanted  to  have 
a  somewhat  elevated  position  for  taking  a 
photo,  I  stood  up  in  the  stirrups  and  held 


SHARPSHOOTERS   IN   ACTION.  199 

my  camera  as  high  as  I  possibly  could  in  order 
to  make  a  picture  of  the  surrounding  coun- 
try and  the  field  of  battle  over  which  our  boys 
had  so  gallantly  charged  on  the  preceding 
day.  My  man  Jim  was  holding  the  horse's 
head,  so  as  to  keep  him  as  still  as  possible, 
when  suddenly  a  Mauser  bullet  caught  Jim 
on  the  side  of  the  cheek  and  just  furrowed 
out  the  flesh.  We  decided  then  that  we 
would  no  longer  be  targets  for  men  securely 
sheltered  at  long  range,  where  we  could  do 
them  no  harm  even  if  we  so  desired. 

We  returned  to  the  main  road,  intending 
to  make  our  way  to  San  Juan.  After  we  had 
proceeded  about  half  a  mile  I  discovered  that 
I  had  lost  the  releasing  bulb  from  my  camera. 
This  was  unpleasant  information,  as  it  was 
impossible  for  me  to  make  any  more  pictures 
without  this  bulb,  so  we  had  to  go  back  over 
the  ground  again  to  search  for  this  requisite 
adjunct  to  my  camera.  We  found  it  finally 
ten  feet  from  where  we  started.  Returning, 
we  had  to  cross  the  line  of  fire  of  the  Span- 
iards in  the  blockhouse  who  had  tried  to  pink 
us  before,  and  they  did  not  refrain  from  fir- 
ing at  us  on  our  way  back.  This  time,  how- 


200  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

ever,  we  were  fortunate  in  seeing  some  of  our 
cavalry  troops  approaching,  and  when  we  met 
them  we  told  them  what  had  happened. 
They  said  they  had  heard  of  it,  and  were  going 
to  stop  .it.  They  advanced  to  the  block- 
house, and  after  a  short  engagement  the 
Spaniards  within  ignominiously  surrendered, 
but  there  were  only  four  miserable  survivors 
in  the  party.  They  were  brought  in  and 
placed  with  the  other  prisoners  who  were 
being  sent  to  General  Shatter's  headquarters 
at  Playa. 

These  men  afterward  quite  frankly  ad- 
mitted to  a  sergeant  that  we  were  the  only 
game  they  saw  that  morning,  and  they  wanted 
to  bag  us  if  they  could;  that  we  came  and 
made  excellent  targets  for  them,  but  they 
could  not  manage  to  hit  us.  This  was  pleas- 
ant news,  and  I  congratulated  myself  upon 
their  lack  of  skill  in  marksmanship;  and  I 
told  them  that  had  the  conditions  been  re- 
versed, and  the  gun  been  in  my  hand,  the  re- 
sult might  have  been  different.  I  then  lev- 
elled my  camera  at  them,  and  they  thought  it 
a  diminutive  magazine,  for  they  shrank  from 
it  with  fear  and  wonderment. 


SHARPSHOOTERS   IN    ACTION.  2OI 

In  bringing  these  prisoners  captured  at 
El  Caney  to  the  headquarters  of  General 
Shafter,  they  showed  their  dissatisfaction  at 
having  to  walk  the  five  or  six  miles  interven- 
ing. They  said:  "  Why  do  you  take  us  so 
far  to  kill  us?  If  you  are  going  to  kill  us,  why 
not  do  it  here?  "  This  was  characteristic. 

When  they  were  told  that  they  were  to 
be  taken  to  camp  and  fed  on  decent  rations, 
they  would  scarcely  believe  it,  looking  upon 
our  story  as  a  fairy  tale.  It  seemed  to  them 
incredible  that  after  what  they  had  done  we 
should  be  so  lenient  to  them  as  to  spare  their 
lives  and,  more  than  all,  feed  them  as  we  fed 
our  own  soldiers.  They  knew  right  well  that 
they  would  not  treat  American  prisoners  in 
the  same  way,  but,  far  from  seeing  the  supe- 
riority of  our  merciful  code  of  ethics,  they 
looked  upon  us  with  something  akin  to  con- 
tempt. They  probably  recalled  the  treatment 
they  had  given  the  poor  Cubans  they  cap- 
tured, and  they  expected  the  same  fate  at  our 
hands.  They  were,  however,  most  agreeably 
disappointed. 

When  they  arrived  at  Shatter's  headquar- 
ters they  were  transferred  to  a  camp,  where 


202  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

they  were  made  comfortable,  to  await  further 
disposition  at  General  Shafter's  convenience. 
Two  lieutenants  who  were  captured  among 
the  other  prisoners  at  El  Caney  were  brought 
to  General  Shafter.  I  interviewed  and  photo- 
graphed them,  after  which  ordeal  they  were 
ushered  into  the  presence  of  General  Shafter 
for  cross-examination  as  to  their  position  and 
for  other  information  that  they  might  be 
willing  to  give  in  regard  to  the  Spanish  forces. 
It  was  quite  a  contrast  to  see  this  soldierly 
Spanish  lieutenant  in  the  presence  of  General 
Shafter;  for,  while  this  officer  stood  erect 
with  his  hat  in  his  hand  and  his  blanket  under 
his  arm,  General  Shafter  was  reposing  leisure- 
ly, without  his  uniform  on,  upon  a  couch, 
with  an  interpreter  at  one  end  of  the  couch 
and  the  Spanish  lieutenant  whom  General 
Shafter  was  examining  standing  at  the  other. 
I  was  at  hand  here  to  make  a  picture,  as 
I  thought  it  quite  a  good  subject,  when  I  was 
peremptorily  ordered  away  by  one  of  General 
Shafter's  aids.  This  Spanish  lieutenant  was 
kept  in  the  detention  camp  for  two  or  three 
days,  after  which  he  was  eventually  exchanged 
for  Lieutenant  Hobson. 


Copyright,  1898,  by  W.  R.  Hearst. 

Spanish  lieutenants  on  the  way  to  General  Shafter's  headquarters. 
One  was  exchanged  for  Lieutenant  Hobson. 


SHARPSHOOTERS   IN   ACTION. 


203 


I  next  proceeded  to  the  front  to  find  out 
how  our  boys  were  progressing.  They  had 
been  at  it  hot  and  heavy  all  day,  and  as  the 
afternoon  came  on  large  clouds,  very  ominous 
looking,  were  coming  up  in  the  southwest. 
The  lightning  became  very  vivid  and  loud 
peals  of  thunder  were  heard,  and  soon  a  se- 
vere thunderstorm  burst  over  the  entire  field 
of  action.  The  rain  came  down  in  torrents, 
and  it  was  a  cold,  midwinter  rain.  It  was  so 
cold  that  some  of  the  drops  turned  into  hail. 
I  made  for  a  sheltering  tree,  and  covered  my 
camera  and  plates  with  a  rubber  blanket, 
while  we  got  soaked  to  the  skin  ourselves. 
This  storm  lasted  for  an  hour  or  so,  when 
suddenly  the  sun  broke  forth  from  behind 
clouds  and  sent  its  rays  in  all  their  tropical 
intensity  down  upon  the  scene,  which  was 
soon  a  reeking  and  stewing  mass.  The  firing 
did  not  cease  during  this  little  wetting.  It 
continued  until  nightfall. 

Life  with  the  troops  in  the  trenches  at 
night  is  not  very  enjoyable,  yet  it  is  well 
worth  the  experience  for  the  novelty  of  the 
thing.  At  night,  when  hostilities  have  ap- 
parently ceased,  the  soldiers  intrench  them- 
24 


204  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

selves  and  throw  up  breastworks,  and  by 
other  means  seek  to  fortify  themselves  against 
the  attacks  of  the  enemy  on  the  coming  day. 
While  in  this  position  it  is  desirable  and 
necessary  that  one  should  conceal  one's  self, 
and  no  fire  can  be  lit  for  the  purpose  of  cook- 
ing a  pot  of  coffee  or  frying  a  little  bacon, 
so  one  has  to  subsist  upon  hard-tack  and 
water.  This  diet  makes  life  in  the  trenches 
almost  unbearable. 

As  soon  as  one  has  become  comfortably 
ensconced  and  darkness  has  set  in,  squads  of 
men  are  sent  out  to  hunt  for  a  good  supply 
of  water.  A  man  starts  off  with  a  dozen  can- 
teens strung  from  his  shoulder,  always  on  the 
alert  for  what  may  happen.  Pickets  are  sta- 
tioned and  outposts  are  cautioned  to  be  on 
the  alert,  for  a  sudden  night  attack  is  always 
to  be  guarded  against.  Those  with  tobacco 
had  a  luxury,  and  those  having  matches  were 
equally  fortunate,  for  a  match  that  is  able 
to  do  duty  after  much  service  in  the  pocket 
of  a  private  drenched  with  rain  and  sweat  was 
a  jewel  of  the  first  water,  indeed,  and  one  not 
frequently  found.  Tobacco  is  all  right  if  you 
have  it;  therefore  matches  were  at  a  high 


Copyright,  1S98,  by  W.  R.  Hearst. 

United  States  trooper  and  Cuban  scouts  trailing  Spanish  sharpshooters. 


SHARPSHOOTERS    IN    ACTION.  205 

premium.  The  men  were  all  eager  at  this 
time  to  learn  who  had  been  taken  off  by  the 
day's  engagement,  and  who  had  been  left 
with  them.  The  officers  were  very  busy  find- 
ing out  how  many  men  they  had  lost,  for 
while  in  battle  it  was  the  duty  of  every  man 
to  go  forward,  even  if  his  brother  should  drop 
by  his  side,  so  long  as  he  was  able  to  hold  a 
gun  and  fire  a  bullet.  It  was  the  duty  of 
those  who  followed  to  take  care  of  the  wound- 
ed, and  how  well  they  did  it  is  fully  exempli- 
fied by  the  small  list  of  missing  on  the  rolls 
of  our  army  at  the  present  time. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE. 

How  Cervera's  squadron  put  out  of  Santiago  and  was  de- 
stroyed— Photographing  the  stranded  ships — A  capture  of 
Spanish  prisoners. 

SUNDAY,  July  3,  1898,  will  long  be  remem- 
bered in  the  navy  of  Uncle  Sam.  The  long- 
looked-for  fleet  of  Admiral  Cervera  was  at 
hand,  and  there  was  to  be  an  engagement. 
The  Maine  was  to  be  remembered.  The  fleet 
which  Spain  had  sent  to  Cuba,  and  which  had 
been  playing  at  hide-and-seek  until  bottled  up 
in  Santiago,  was  now  to  make  that  memorable 
dash  out  of  the  harbour — in  truth  an  effort  for 
liberty,  glory,  or  death.  The  sinking  of  the 
Merrimac  had  not  stopped  the  fleet  of  Cer- 
vera from  making  its  exit  from  the  harbour. 
The  brave  Lieutenant  Hobson  and  the  heroes 
who  accompanied  him,  who  at  the  risk  of 
their  lives  went  in  there  and  sank  the  Merri- 
mac in  order  that  Cervera  might  not  be  able 
206 


THE  GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE. 


207 


to  get  his  fleet  out  of  the  long  neck  of  this 
harbour,  which  was  likened  to  a  bottle,  did 
not  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  this  fleet  de- 
stroyed, for  it  was  not  until  three^  days  after 
the  destruction  of  this  fleet  that  these  brave 
men  were  released  by  exchange  from  the 
hands  of  the  enemy. 

On  this  beautiful  Sunday  morning,  as  the 
men  were  just  finishing  quarters,  a  lookout 
on  one  of  the  ships  of  the  blockading  squad- 
ron suddenly  saw  in  the  distance  a  column 
of  smoke  rising  over  the  land  close  by  the 
harbour  entrance,  which  appeared  to  be  the 
smoke  issuing  from  the  funnel  of  a  steamer 
which  was  making  headway  toward  the 
mouth  of  the  harbour  of  Santiago.  This  was 
reported  to  the  signal  quartermaster,  who 
sent  the  news  to  the  officer  of  the  deck  on 
his  ship.  The  news  was  flashed  around  the 
fleet  with  surprising  quickness,  and  every  one 
was  at  once  on  deck  scanning  the  entrance 
of  Santiago  harbour  with  glasses.  It  did 
not  take  long  to  determine  that  something 
unusual  was  on  foot,  and  before  long  the  fore- 
most of  the  vessels  in  this  line  composing  Ad- 
miral Cervera's  fleet,  the  Maria  Teresa,  which 


2o8  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

was  Admiral  Cervera's  flagship,  made  its  ap- 
pearance round  the  headland  and  a  dash  for 
the  open  sea.  The  ships  of  the  American 
fleet  were  not  expecting  this  movement,  and 
they  were  not  at  all  prepared  for  it  as  they 
would  have  been  had  they  been  forewarned. 
But  it  does  not  take  long  for  an  American 
Jacky  to  adapt  himself  to  any  circumstances. 

Signals  were  soon  flying  from  the  Brook- 
lyn, the  flagship  of  Admiral  Schley,  for  Ad- 
miral Sampson  was  absent,  having  gone  to 
the  eastward  as  far  as  Siboney  to  have  a  con- 
sultation with  General  Shafter;  therefore  the 
duty  of  destroying  the  Spanish  fleet  fell  to 
Admiral  Schley  and  the  captains  of  the  vari- 
ous ships,  and  how  admirably  they  did  it  the 
world  knows. 

The  last  time  I  saw  the  Oquendo  and  the 
Viscaya  was  the  evening  upon  which  I  sailed 
out  of  Havana  harbour  and  so  defiantly 
waved  the  Stars  and  Stripes  of  America.  Now 
they  were  about  to  do  what  brave  Captain 
Eulate  had  said  when  he  visited  New  York 
some  time  prior  to  the  declaration  of  war — 
namely,  that  if  the  time  ever  came  to  show 
the  power  of  the  Viscaya,  the  American  peo- 


THE  GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE. 


209 


pie  would  be  surprised  at  her  efficiency;  but, 
alas!  she  was  doomed  to  a  sad  fate,  and  Eu- 
late  to  a  like  disappointment.  Whatever  his 
plans  or  whatever  the  ideas  of  victory  the 
Spaniards  nursed  within  their  swarthy  breasts 
were  soon  brought  to  naught. 

At  the  time  the  fleet  emerged  from  be- 
yond the  fortress  of  the  Morro  the  ships 
seemed  to  be  heading  for  the  gallant  cruiser 
Brooklyn.  It  looked  as  though  they  intended 
to  concentrate  their  force  on  this  fast  cruiser, 
crush  her  by  overwhelming  odds,  and  then 
speed  off  with  what  remained  of  their  fleet, 
leaving  the  slow-going  battle  ships  to  follow 
after  them  as  they  disappeared.  But  it  takes 
two  to  make  a  plan,  and  the  more  is  this  to 
be  considered  when  the  two  concerned  are 
not  on  terms  of  amity.  They  had  heard  of 
the  Brooklyn's  speed;  they  knew  of  her  ef- 
fectiveness; they  knew  she  was  their  main  op- 
ponent; and  they  thought  that  by  disabling 
or  destroying  her  they  might  make  their 
escape.  From  us,  a  long  distance  away  on 
the  Sylvia,  it  appeared  that  they  were  mak- 
ing directly  for  the  Brooklyn,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  annihilating  her  before  she  had  a 


210  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

chance  to  recover  from  the  first  surprise  and 
onslaught.  But  soon  this  seemingly  hazard- 
ous position  was  changed  into  one  of  ag- 
gressive activity.  Captain  Cook,  of  the 
Brooklyn,  was  not  to  be  caught  napping,  but 
by  a  series  of  splendid  manoeuvres  he  got 
the  Brooklyn  into  a  position  where  she  be- 
came a  formidable  aggressor  instead  of  the 
object  of  attack.  Things  changed  in  such 
short  order  that  it  was  absolutely  impossible 
for  one  like  myself,  unacquainted  with  naval 
tactics  and  evolutions,  to  comprehend  the  ob- 
ject and  purpose  of  the  movements,  and  yet 
how  plain  the  advantage  when  it  was  all  com- 
pleted! At  a  distance  of  three  or  four  miles 
I  watched  the  annihilation  of  this  Cape  de 
Verde  fleet. 

Coming  out  of  the  harbour  of  Santiago, 
the  following  order  was  observed:  The^ -first 
ship  flying  Spain's  flag  was  the  Maria  Teresa, 
the  flagship  of  Admiral  Cervera.  She  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  Viscaya,  the  Cristobal  Colon, 
the  Almirante  Oquendo,  and  the  two  torpedo 
boats,  Furor  and  Pluton.  As  soon  as  they 
were  outside  Morro  they  opened  fire.  The 
forts  assisted  the  fleet,  and  it  seemed  to 


THE   GREAT   NAVAL  BATTLE.  211 

me  as  though  the  American  squadron  was 
doomed  to  serious  loss.  They  exchanged 
shots  in  rapid  succession,  when  all  at  once 
the  Spanish  fleet  altered  their  course  and 
made  off  to  the  westward  in  an  attempt  to 
escape.  They  had  not  proceeded  more  than 
three  or  four  miles  before  the  Maria  Teresa 
was  in  a  helpless  condition  and  made  for  the 
beach.  The  men  under  Admiral  Cervera  on 
the  Maria  Teresa  fought  gallantly, 'as  far  as 
we  could  see.  After  she  had  surrendered  and 
the  Gloucester  had  run  the  two  torpedo  boats 
ashore,  the  Oquendo  quickly  followed,  and, 
after  an  unequal  battle,  Captain  Eulate,  of 
the  Viscaya,  was  compelled  to  do  likewise. 
This  left  but  the  Colon,  and  the  Brooklyn 
was  in  hot  pursuit  of  her,  the  Oregon  and 
the  Texas  also  following.  This  was  a  most 
rapid  chase,  and  a  slow  boat  was  nowhere 
in  it,  and  could  not  even  keep  sight  of  these 
flying  ocean  batteries.  As  the  Brooklyn 
bounded  after  the  Colon,  it  was  a  sight  to 
make  glad  an  American  soul.  She  abso- 
lutely leaped  through  the  water  at  a  speed 
almost  unknown  hitherto  ;  flames  poured 
forth  from  her  smokestacks,  and  it  was  evi- 


212  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

dent  that  the  men  in  the  fire  room  were 
doing  their  duty  like  true  men  on  this  occa- 
sion. It  seemed  as  though  they  were  pour- 
ing oil  on  the  coals  instead  of  ordinary  fuel, 
so  as  to  get  all  possible  speed  out  of  the  ves- 
sel. Talk  about  having  a  bone  in  her  teeth — 
she  had  several.  Captain  Cook  did  not  in- 
tend to  lose  this  prize,  therefore  all  steam  and 
power  were  put  on.  The  men  at  the  batteries 
were  firing  as  they  gradually  closed  in  on  her, 
when  suddenly  they  came  abreast  and  the 
secondary  batteries  of  the  Brooklyn  could  be 
seen  pouring  a  most  destructive  fire  into  the 
Spaniard. 

After  a  chase  of  about  two  hours  and  a 
half  the  Colon  was  cornered,  and  at  about 
half  past  one  she  ran  her  bows  on  the  beach 
at  Rio  Tarquino,  about  fifty  miles  from  San- 
tiago. Captain  Cook  sent  a  boat  to  the 
Colon  to  receive  the  surrender.  The  captain 
of  the  Colon  asked  him  under  what  condi- 
tions the  surrender  was  required.  The  reply 
called  for  an  unconditional  surrender. 

The  Spaniards  then  gave  three  cheers  for 
the  brave  Americanos,  and  the  crew  of  the 
Brooklyn  answered  back  with  three  hearty 


THE  GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE. 


213 


cheers  for  the  Spaniards.  When  the  men 
were  taken  prisoners  and  removed  to  the  dif- 
ferent boats  a  great  many  of  the  men  and 
officers  were  taken  on  board  the  Resolute, 
formerly  the  Ward  Line  steamship  York- 
town,  other  prisoners  being  sent  to  the  flag- 
ship New  York  and  the  Vixen.  The  New 
York,  Texas,  and  Oregon  stood  by  the  de- 
feated ship  for  some  hours,  the  Brooklyn 
leaving  in  a  hurry,  as  she  had  received  word 
from  some  source  or  another  that  a  Spanish 
war  ship  was  seen  to  the  southward.  Her 
men  were  hastily  called  to  quarters,  and  they 
were  prepared  for  another  battle,  only  to  find 
after  a  long  run  that  the  boat  sighted  was 
not  a  Spanish,  but  an  Austrian  cruiser.  The 
Oregon  returned  then  to  Santiago.  On  her 
way  back  I  had  the  pleasure  of  making  one 
of  the  most  striking  pictures  of  a  battle  ship 
that  it  has  been  my  pleasure  and  good  for- 
tune to  take.  The  men  were  all  in  high  glee 
and  the  ship  was  in  fighting  trim,  and  she 
looked  the  very  bulldog  of  the  American  navy 
that  she  is. 

The  sunken  ships — but   scarcely  can  we 
call  them  that,  for,  while  they  were  beached, 


214  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

they  were  not  much  submerged — were  sent 
on  to  the  beach  head  foremost,  and  were  lying 
in  two  or  three  fathoms  of  water.  When 
they  were  run  on  shore  a  great  many  of  the 
sailors  and  minor  officers  swam  ashore  and 
escaped  toward  Santiago;  others  who  tried 
to  escape  had  made  for  the  beach  at  Aser- 
radero.  A  party  of  Cubans  who  were  doing 
scout  duty  in  and  about  this  point  saw  some 
Spanish  sailors  escaping,  and  as  they  ap- 
proached the  shore  the  Cubans  shot  them  in 
the  water,  and  the  water  was  stained  with  the 
blood  of  these  fleeing  wretches.  Many  of 
their  bodies  were  washed  ashore  by  the  surf, 
and  they  were  taken  charge  of  by  the  Cubans 
and  spread  out  as  a  feast  for  vultures  and  buz- 
zards. 

Returning  from  the  Colon  late  in  the 
afternoon,  she  and  her  consorts  presented  a 
dilapidated  and  terrible  sight.  What  had 
once  been  the  bright  and  buoyant  hope  of 
the  Spanish  navy  were  now  helpless  hulks 
strewn  along  Cuba's  southern  shore. 

The  next  day  was  the  4th  of  July.  We 
awoke  about  five  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
lying  off  the  Viscaya.  Captain  Clark  had 


THE  GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE. 


215 


run  the  Sylvia  out  to  the  Viscaya,  so  that 
we  might  be  on  hand  the  first  thing  in  the 
morning  to  get  some  good  pictures  of  this 
wrecked  vessel.  We  passed  close  to  her  and 
took  views  from  all  possible  positions,  after 
which  we  put  off  in  a  whaleboat  and  boarded 
her.  As  we  came  alongside  the  Viscaya,  in 
climbing  up  the  sea  ladder,  we  found  it  al- 
most too  hot  to  place  our  hands  upon  her. 
Our  party  consisted  of  Mr.  Hearst,  Mr.  Fol- 
lansbee,  the  ship's  mate,  and  several  others, 
and  we  boarded  her  and  saw  the  terrible  havoc 
that  fire  and  shell  had  wrought.  The  girders 
which  supported  the  main  deck  were  twisted 
into  every  conceivable  grotesque  shape.  The 
gun  deck  and  the  superstructure  were  totally 
demolished  ;  all  the  woodwork,  which  had 
been  so  beautifully  cleaned  and  polished,  was 
destroyed.  Nothing  combustible  could  be 
found.  The  charred  remains  of  many  of  the 
sailors  were  strewn  around,  some  hanging 
from  the  iron  girders  and  beams  in  all  sorts 
of  positions.  Carcasses  of  animals  were  also 
to  be  found.  We  made  a  thorough  investi- 
gation and  secured  a  great  many  souvenirs, 
consisting  of  Mauser  rifles,  revolvers,  and 


CANNON  AND   CAMERA. 

bunches  of  keys.  From  one  of  the  fourteen- 
centimetre  turrets  I  took  a  roster  the  glass 
of  which  had  been  cracked  into  small  bits  by 
the  intense  heat  of  the  fire  on  the  Viscaya. 

Below  decks  holes  had  been  ripped 
through  her  sides,  and  one  or  two  shells  had 
pierced  her  protected  belt.  In  her  forecastle 
terrible  havoc  had  been  wrought  by  a  large 
shell.  Either  a  magazine  or  a  torpedo  had 
been  exploded  by  this  shell,  and  the  foremast 
had  been  entirely  uprooted  and  thrown  across 
the  bridge,  totally  demolishing  it.  The  upper 
gun  deck  and  the  smokestacks  and  the  places 
where  the  rapid-fire  guns  had  been  mounted 
were  literally  blown  to  pieces. 

The  forward  ten-inch  rifle  was  seemingly 
in  perfect  condition.  It  was  pointed  at  a 
rather  high  elevation,  and  possibly  this  ac- 
counts for  the  many  shots  going  over  the 
vessels  at  which  she  aimed.  As  we  proceeded 
along  the  full  length  of  the  Viscaya  we  came 
to  the  quarter-deck,  and  there  saw  most  hor- 
rible havoc.  The  deck  was  as  bare  as  a  bil- 
liard ball.  Everything  was  consumed;  every- 
thing had  been  made  away  with  that  was  in- 
flammable. The  after  ten-inch  rifle  was  in 


THE  GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE. 

the  same  condition  as  the  gun  forward,  but 
it  was  loaded.  The  men  had  evidently  left 
it  in  a  hurry.  On  the  starboard  side  an  abra- 
sion was  plainly  visible,  and  it  looked  as 
though  she  had  been  hit  here  by  one  of  our 
shells.  I  raised  myself  to  the  top  of  the  after 
turret,  and  made  several  views  of  the  interior; 
I  also  made  several  views  looking  forward  to- 
ward the  bridge  from  the  quarter-deck.  The 
mainmast  had  been  smashed,  and  had  fallen 
obliquely  across  this  after  gun.  The  beauti- 
ful decorative  work  which  made  the  Viscaya 
so  conspicuous  when  she  was  in  New  York 
and  Havana  harbours  had  been  torn  off  her 
stern,  evidently  to  disguise  her,  as  her  name 
was  very  conspicuous  on  this  decorative  work 
when  I  last  saw  her.  Everything  of  this  kind 
had  been  ripped  from  her,  and  nothing  had 
been  left  but  a  small  wreath,  on  which  was  the 
word  "  Viscaya/'  Several  large  holes,  appar- 
ently made  by  shells  from  the  eight-inch  rifles 
on  our  ships,  were  seen  on  her  starboard 
quarter.  After  this  we  left  the  Viscaya  and 
proceeded  to  the  Oquendo. 

As  we  reached  the  side  of  the  Oquendo 
the  Suwanee  hove  in  sight,  and  Lieutenant 


2i8  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

Blue  and  a  boat's  crew  put  off  for  the  shore 
in  answer  to  the  signal  of  a  white  flag  on  the 
beach.  As  they  approached  the  shore,  the 
breakers  and  surf  were  so  heavy  that  Lieuten- 
ant Blue  was  thrown  from  the  boat  into  the 
water.  All  efforts  made  to  land  here  were 
without  avail,  and  after  a  time  they  gave  up 
the  idea  and  returned  to  their  vessel.  It  was 
at  this  point  that  I  found  great  difficulty  in 
our  launch  trying  to  make  pictures  of  the 
Oquendo.  The  breakers  rolled  in  with  tre- 
mendous force.  I  succeeded,  however,  in 
making  a  view  from  the  launch  showing  the 
terrible  hammering  on  the  starboard  plates 
of  the  Oquendo.  About  amidships  the 
work  of  our  big  guns  was  strikingly  mani- 
fest. The  sponsons  of  the  rapid-fire  guns 
were  completely  demolished,  and  the  guns 
were  hanging  down  over  the  side  ready 
to  drop  at  any  moment.  As  we  were  hov- 
ering around  the  Oquendo  an  explosion 
occurred  from  one  of  her  guns,  caused  evi- 
dently by  the  intense  heat,  for  she  was  still 
on  fire  and  smoking  badly.  It  was  impos- 
sible to  board  her  at  this  time;  we  were,  in- 
deed, cautioned  not  to  go  on  board  her,  as 


THE  GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE. 


2I9 


her  magazines  were  likely  to  explode  at  any 
moment. 

We  next  proceeded  toward  the  Maria 
Teresa,  which  lay  closer  to  the  Morro.  Close 
by  her  we  saw  a  large  party  on  shore,  which 
through  our  glasses  appeared  to  be  a  party 
of  Cubans.  They  were  waving  a  white  flag, 
and  as  we  hove  in  sight  they  tried  their  best 
to  attract  our  attention,  in  which  effort  they 
succeeded.  We  went  in  as  close  to  the  Maria 
Teresa  as  was  safe,  and  made  several  pictures 
from  the  Sylvia,  after  which  Mr.  Hearst,  my- 
self, and  my  man  put  off  in  the  steam  launch 
and  made  for  the  surf  to  investigate  the  fel- 
lows ashore.  As  we  approached  the  beach 
we  could  plainly  see  that  these  men  were 
more  naked  than  clothed,  and  we  hesitated 
for  a  while  before  deciding  what  we  should 
do.  We  saw  also  that  a  great  many  of  the 
men  were  armed  with  machetes  and  Mauser 
rifles,  and  thus  it  was  doubtful  whether  they 
were  Spaniards  or  Cubans.  At  last  we  made 
up  our  minds  to  run  the  chances,  and  if  these 
were  Spaniards  to  take  them  prisoners.  After 
a  lot  of  tossing  and  being  thrown  about  by 
the  heavy  breakers,  we  landed.  When  we 


220  CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 

reached  the  beach  we  found  these  men  were 
sailors  who  had  escaped  from  the  Spanish 
vessels.  Nineteen  were  from  the  Viscaya,' 
three  from  the  Oquendo,  seven  from  the 
Maria  Teresa,  making  a  total  of  twenty-nine. 
After  making  an  impression  upon  these  poor 
wretches  and  flashing  our  firearms  we  gave 
them  to  understand  that  they  were  our  pris- 
oners. The  Cubans  helped  us  to  get  the  men 
into  a  boat,  and  they  were  soon  on  board  the 
Sylvia. 

During  our  stay  on  the  beach  waiting  the 
return  of  our  launch  several  bodies  from  the 
Maria  Teresa  were  washed  ashore.  We  took 
these  bodies  into  the  woods  and  buried  them 
as  best  we  could. 

The  wreckage  that  was  being  thrown  on 
shore  was  varied  in  its  nature.  I  found  a  six- 
inch  shell  case,  and  also  a  pair  of  marine 
glasses.  These  I  value  as  mementos  of  this 
great  and  glorious  naval  engagement.  After 
getting  these  men  to  the  Sylvia,  we  pro- 
ceeded in  our  boat  and  thoroughly  over- 
hauled the  Maria  Teresa.  When  we  got  on 
board  the  Maria  Teresa  a  sight  met  our  eyes 
which  was  much  worse  than  any  we  had 


26 


THE  GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE.     221 

experienced  while  on  board  the  Viscaya. 
Charred  bodies  of  many  of  the  sailors  were 
plainly  visible  on  all  parts  of  the  gun  deck. 
No  matter  where  you  went,  there  you  would 
find  them.  On  the  port  side  of  this  ship  the 
guns  were  all  empty  and  the  breech  plugs 
missing  from  all  the  guns,  having  been 
thrown  overboard  before  the  surrender.  On 
the  starboard  side  the  guns  were  in  position 
and  loaded,  with  the  breech  blocks  in  posi- 
tion. It  was  evident  that  they  had  no  chance 
to  fire  the  guns  of  the  starboard  battery,  for 
as  she  proceeded  along  the  coast  from  Morro, 
going  in  a  westerly  direction,  nothing  but 
her  port  battery  was  exposed  to  the  Ameri- 
can fleet. 

We  heard  from  the  sailors  who  had  been 
taken  prisoners  that  the  men  had  refused  to 
serve  at  the  guns  when  they  saw  it  was  a 
hopeless  case,  and,  instead  of  the  men  in  the 
fire  rooms  of  these  vessels  remaining  at  their 
posts  and  pouring  in  their  fuel,  as  did  our 
men,  they  were  continually  running  to  the 
upper  deck,  looking  for  a  chance  to  escape. 
They  positively  refused  to  serve  at  either  the 
guns  or  the  engines.  We  were  told  by  our 


222  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

prisoners  that  the  officers  had  shot  with  their 
revolvers  nineteen  men  who  had  refused  to 
comply  with  the  orders  which  were  given  by 
the  admiral  on  his  flagship. 

The  foremast  of  the  Maria  Teresa  had 
been  uprooted  by  some  cause,  possibly  by  a 
large  shell,  for  it  fell  directly  lengthwise  of 
the  boat  toward  the  stern.  In  the  fighting 
top  of  the  Maria  Teresa  I  found  a  magazine 
full  of  cartridges  that  belonged  to  a  rapid- 
fire  gun;  also  a  partly  burned  pack  of  Span- 
ish cards  which  had  been  almost  totally  de- 
stroyed, but  just  in  the  middle  of  the  pack 
where  the  fire,  although  it  had  been  smould- 
ering for  hours,  had  not  effected  its  work, 
there  were  five  or  six  cards  almost  as  perfect 
as  when  new,  but  dirty  and  begrimed  from 
constant  use.  It  may  have  been  that  during 
the  idle  moments  on  board  the  flagship  in 
the  harbour  of  Santiago  the  men,  having 
nothing  else  to  do,  whiled  away  the  hours  in 
playing  the  limit  with  these  Spanish  cards: 
I  took  these  cards,  thinking  what  a  unique 
memento  they  would  make. 

We  now  returned  to  the  Sylvia  to  find 
out  how  our  Spanish  prisoners  were  getting 


cr 
O 


II 


THE  GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE.     223 

along.  We  found  them  on  the  forward  deck, 
being  cared  for  by  our  party  and  the  crew. 
Their  wounds,  bruises,  and  broken  bones  were 
being  attended  to  by  our  party,  who  had 
turned  themselves  into  a  corps  of  hospital 
attendants.  It  was  here  that  I  met  a  Spanish 
sailor  whom  I  knew.  He  had  been  Captain 
Eulate's  orderly  while  the  Viscaya  was  in 
Havana  Bay,  and  during  my  stay  in  Havana 
at  the  Pasaje  Hotel  it  was  his  duty  to  bring 
despatches  and  orders  to  the  officers  stay- 
ing there.  He  recognised  me  as  I  came  on 
board  the  Sylvia,  and  told  me  how  pleased 
he  was  that  it  was  all  over.  I  asked  him 
if  they  expected  to  escape,  and  he  said 
they  certainly  did  not,  and  their  only  hope 
was  that  they  would  go  through  the  fight 
with  as  little  loss  as  possible.  They  were 
glad  to  be  rid  of  the  strain  and  anxiety  they 
had  undergone  for  so  many  weeks,  and 
they  were  also  glad  to  be  in  the  hands  of 
such  tender  and  generous  foes  as  the  Ameri- 
canos. 

Just  then  the  good  fighting  Texas  hove 
alongside.  We  had  signalled  her  that  we  had 
some  prisoners  on  board,  and  she  informed 


224 


CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 


us  that,  while  she  could  not  take  them,  it 
would  be  best  for  us  to  transfer  them  to  the, 
St.  Louis,  which  was  about  to  sail  for  Key 
West.  As  the  Texas  was  close  to  us,  I  told 
our  Spanish  prisoners  that  the  American  boys 
would  like  them  to  give  three  cheers  for  the 
day,  as  it  was  the  glorious  4th  of  July,  In- 
dependence Day  of  the  Americans.  One  of 
the  Spanish  prisoners  who  understood  Eng- 
lish, and  doubtless  belonged  to  the  repub- 
licans of  his  country,  said  the  sailors  would 
gladly  join  in  cheering  the  Americans,  for 
while  the  day  commemorated  an  anniversary 
of  Independence  Day  with  the  Americans, 
that  he  looked  upon  it  as  independence  day 
for  his  countrymen.  I  mounted  the  rail  with 
the  Spanish  prisoners,  and  waving  the  same 
little  flag  that  I  had  flaunted  in  their  faces  on 
leaving  Havana  when  seeing  the  Viscaya  and 
Oquendo  in  a  more  noble  condition  than  was 
now  presented  by  them,  the  same  flag  that 
covered  the  graves  of  the  Maine  heroes  in 
Colon  cemetery,  the  same  little  flag  that  was 
placed  on  the  grave  of  that  brave  Rough 
Rider  Hamilton  Fish,  who  died  for  his  coun- 
try at  Las  Guasimas,  these  Spanish  prisoners 


THE  GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE. 


225 


gave  three  as  lusty  cheers  as  ever  came  from 
men's  throats. 

The  boys  on  the  Texas  appreciated  it, 
and,  as  the  echo  of  the  three  cheers  for 
"  George  Washington  and  Old  Glory  "  were 
dying  out  the  boys  of  the  Texas  took  it  up 
and  gave  three  more,  with  a  "  tiger."  Mr. 
Hearst  then  ordered  that  these  prisoners 
should  have  plenty  to  eat  and  drink,  and  after 
they  had  their  wounds  dressed  and  they  were 
clothed  in  the  best  we  could  give  them,  many 
of  them  being  naked  when  we  found  them, 
we  steamed  alongside  the  St.  Louis  and  trans- 
ferred them,  Mr.  Hearst  getting  a  receipt  for 
them. 

We  now  proceeded  to  Siboney,  where  we 
found  that  Mr.  Creelman  had  been  brought 
from  the  field  hospital  by  Mr.  Follansbee,  and 
they  were  waiting  our  arrival.  After  taking 
them  on  board,  we  proceeded  to  Port  An- 
tonio with  the  pictures  we  had  made  during 
the  last  two  days. 

I  was  now  busily  engaged  for  some  time 
in  developing  my  plates,  and  it  was  an  anx- 
ious moment  to  me  as  we  went  bounding 
over  the  choppy  waters  of  the  Caribbean  Sea. 


226  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

Seasickness  did  not  bother  me  then,  as  I  was 
too  anxious  to  see  the  results  of  the  nega- 
tives made  on  such  an  important  occasion. 
I  found  I  had  got  some  great  results,  and 
before  we  had  reached  Port  Antonio  they 
were  all  ready  for  printing. 

The  next  day,  Tuesday,  July  5th,  I  made 
some  prints  from  them,  which  we  sent  by 
mail,  and  we  then  returned  to  Siboney.  At 
daylight  on  the  morning  of  July  7th  we  low- 
ered a  boat,  and  I  and  my  man  once  more 
went  on  board  the  Maria  Teresa  to  get  some 
interior  views.  While  thus  engaged  the  lit- 
tle Gloucester  hove  in  sight,  and  she  put  off 
a  boat,  which  came  alongside  the  Maria  Te- 
resa, when  to  my  surprise  who  should  I  see 
jump  out  of  the  boat  but  Lieutenant  Hob- 
son,  who  had  been  exchanged,  and  was  now 
accompanied  by  the  board  of  inspection  who 
were  to  report  on  the  condition  of  the 
wrecked  vessels  and  the  advisability  of  mak- 
ing efforts  to  raise  them.  I  could  not  resist 
the  strong  impulse  to  grasp  the  hero  of  the 
Merrimac  by  the  hand  when  he  reached  the 
deck  of  the  vessel,  or  rather  not  the  deck,  for 
there  was  no  deck  to  the  vessel  now,  but  the 


THE  GREAT,  NAVAL  BATTLE.     22/ 

iron  beams  which  had  once  supported  the 
deck.  While  standing  here,  Lieutenant  Hob- 
son  gazed  around  him  and  said,  "  Indeed,  this 
is  a  terrible  wreck."  He  was  bareheaded, 
having  lost  his  hat  overboard,  and  the  sun 
was  pouring  down  its  rays  very  severely.  I 
offered  him  my  hat,  and  he  said,  "  Oh,  no,  the 
men  will  recover  my  hat  as  soon  as  the  rest  of 
the  commission  are  on  board." 

It  was  here  that  I  had  an  opportunity  to 
get  a  good  chat  with  Lieutenant  Hobson. 
I  asked  how  the  Spaniards  treated  him,  and 
he  said  that,  considering  everything,  the 
treatment  was  very  fair.  He  said  he  did  not 
learn  of  Cervera  leaving  Santiago  harbour 
until  several  days  afterward,  when  he  was  ex- 
changed, and  heard  it  while  passing  through 
the  Spanish  lines.  He  told  me  his  reception 
by  the  troops  of  the  army  was  something  he 
was  proud  of,  something  he  never  had  an- 
ticipated, but  which  would  "leave  a  lasting 
and  profound  impression  upon  him.  He  said 
it  was  a  triumphal  march  practically  from 
Santiago  to  Siboney,  with  his  hands  being 
shaken  all  the  way  and  questions  poured  on 
him  from  all  sides.  Reaching  Siboney,  he  was 


228  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

taken  off  in  a  launch  to  the  flagship  of  Ad- 
miral Sampson,  and,  after  spending  the  night 
there,  he  started  to  duty  with  this  com- 
mission. 

I  went  with  him  in  and  about  the  Maria 
Teresa,  and  saw  a  great  deal  of  this  vessel. 
Lieutenant  Hobson  told  me  then  that  he 
thought  it  possible  to  save  this  ship,  as  she 
was  not  injured  below  her  protective  deck 
to  any  serious  extent,  and  that  the  water  now 
in  her  came  from  the  tube  of  the  after  tor- 
pedo. On  Sept.  25th,  the  Maria  Teresa 
was  floated  and  towed  to  Guantanamo  Bay, 
proving  that  Lieut.  Hobson's  judgment  was 
correct.  He  said  that  he  regretted  not 
having  seen  this  battle,  but  he  was  very 
pleased  that  he  had  been  safe  from  the  bom- 
bardment of  Santiago,  which  had  occurred 
a  few  days  previous.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  Admiral  Cervera  had  caused  Hobson 
and  his  comrades  to  be  removed  to  a  post 
far  distant  from  our  line  of  fire  some  days 
before  the  bombardment  began,  by  Admiral 
Sampson's  demand. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

SURRENDER    OF    SANTIAGO. 

General  Miles  prevents  a  retreat — General  Toral   yields   to 
moral  suasion  and  gives  up  the  city. 

GENERAL  MILES'S  arrival  at  Siboney,  and 
his  appearance  at  the  headquarters  of  General 
Shafter,  where  they  had  a  long  consultation, 
put  a  different  face  upon  affairs  for  our  troops 
lying  in  front  of  Santiago.  General  Shafter, 
according  to  the  reports  in  camp,  for  several 
days  had  been  contemplating  a  retreat.  The 
rank  and  file  had  been  made  aware  of  his  ob- 
ject and  were  strenuously  objecting  to  it. 
As  one  officer  remarked,  '"  What  possible 
benefit  is  to  be  derived  from  a  retreat  at  this 
time?  "  There  were  no  fortifications  upon 
which  they  could  fall  back,  and  the  only  de- 
fences in  the  rear  were  the  breastworks 
thrown  up  by  the  men  in  the  trenches. 

They  had   fought  their  way  from   Siboney, 

229 


230  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

commencing  with  the  battle  of  the  Rough 
Riders  and  ending  with  the  taking  of  the 
heights  of  San  Juan.  The  base  of  supplies 
was  in^no  peril  of  capture;  there  was  no  dan- 
ger of  being  cut  off  by  the  enemy;  there  was 
absolutely  nothing  to  warrant  a  retreat;  and 
would  it  not  have  been  a  case  of  "  rattles," 
ignorance,  and  cowardice  jumbled  together 
to  have  ordered  a  retreat?  Those  officers 
who  had  looked  the  matter  over  could  see  no 
advantage  to  be  obtained  by  falling  back. 
They  had  gained  a  fortified  position,  and 
there  was  no  ground  for  fear  that  they  could 
be  driven  back  from  this  position,  for  they  al- 
ready had  repulsed  a  severe  attack.  General 
Shafter  had  been  told,  it  is  said,  that  the  ene- 
my was  present  with  a  much  larger  force  than 
he  had  at  his  command ;  he  was  told  that  they 
had  supplies  and  ammunition  in  abundance. 
Hence  his  desire  to  fall  back.  Now,  had  this 
information  been  received  by  a  soldier  of  the 
ability  of  General  Miles,  a  man  whose  phy- 
sique does  not  burden  him  in  warm  weather, 
he  would  doubtless  have  reconnoitred  for 
himself.  He  would  then  have  taken  the  view 
that  as  his  men  had  gained  the  position 


SURRENDER   OF   SANTIAGO.  231 

against  the  most  stubborn  resistance  of  the 
enemy's  forces,  they  could  doubtless  with- 
stand any  attack  upon  the  fortified  place  they 
were  then  occupying. 

General  Shafter  was  looking  for  help  from 
the  fleet  under  Admiral  Sampson,  but  at  this 
time  the  ships  were  powerless  to  aid.  They 
could  not  assist  General  Shafter  and  the  land 
forces,  for  had  they  used  their  great  guns  in 
shelling  the  Spanish  position  they  would  have 
placed  in  great  danger  from  their  fire  the 
United  States  Army  forces  in  the  trenches 
before  Santiago.  Possibly,  if  some  of  the 
siege  guns  and  field  artillery  furnished 
to  Shafter  and  transported  to  Cuba  in 
the  steamers  which  carried  the  troops  had 
been  landed  at  Siboney,  instead  of  being 
stupidly  carted  back  to  the  United  States,  it 
might  have  put  a  different  aspect  on  affairs. 
Had  General  Shafter  gone  among  the  men 
from  regiment  to  regiment,  and  brigade  to 
brigade,  and  ascertained  their  spirit,  he  pos- 
sibly would  not  have  contemplated  falling 
back.  I  say  that  it  was  very  fortunate  that 
General  Miles  arrived  when  he  did.  General 
Miles,  with  his  experience  and  skill,  saw  at  a 


232 


CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 


glance  the  false  position  in  which  General 
Shafter  would  place  the  American  army  by 
ordering  a  retreat.  General  Miles  made  up 
his  mind  that  no  retreat  should  take  place,  let 
the  consequences  be  what  they  might.  Un- 
der a  flag  of  truce  a  communication  was  made 
with  General  Toral,  asking  for  an  audience. 
The  granting  of  the  audience  was  another 
point  gained  by  General  Miles.  He  decided 
to  "  work  a  bluff "  on  the  Spaniards,  and 
thereby  gain  a  victory  without  loss  of  life. 
When  General  Miles  told  General  Toral  of 
his  wishes,  the  magnitude  of  the  demands 
seemed  to  paralyze  him.  General  Miles  in- 
formed the  Spanish  general  that  he  wras  then 
landing  at  our  base  of  supplies  a  large  army 
of  re-enforcements,  with  which  he  could  anni- 
hilate any  and  all  forces  that  could  be  opposed 
to  them  by  Spain.  The  transports  arrived  at 
the  same  time  with  General  Miles,  and  they 
were  now  lying  between  Santiago  and  Sibo- 
ney.  They  were  in  plain  sight  of  the  signal 
tower  on  Morro  Castle.  This  arrival  and 
show  of  force  had  been  signalled  and  made 
known  from  Morro  to  the  army  of  Spain, 
and  it  was  known  broadcast  that  we  were 


SURRENDER    OF   SANTIAGO.  233 

making  a  big  demonstration.  When  General 
Toral  told  General  Miles  that  he  was  willing  to 
surrender  but  had  not  the  power  to  do  so  from 
Madrid,  General  Miles  told  him  that  there 
was  no  time  to  waste,  and  that  he  had  no 
intention  of  waiting  for  communications  from 
Madrid;  that  our  forces  were  then  in  posi- 
tion to  demand  an  unconditional  surrender. 
General  Toral  murmured  against  the  terms 
and  General  Miles  said:  "  Do  you  realize  this 
is  a  war  undertaken  by  my  Government  in  the 
interests  of  humanity  suffering  at  the  hands 
of  Spain?  Do  you  realize  the  country  with 
which  you  are  at  war — its  vastness  and  re- 
sources? Do  you  realize  that  for  you  to  con- 
tinue this  unequal  fight  would  be  brutal — you 
would  be  making  men  face  certain  defeat  and 
death?  Do  you  realize  that  history  would 
record  your  refusal  to  surrender  under  the 
circumstances  as  a  crime  against  your  com- 
mand? If  you  had  a  chance  such  as  is  pre- 
sented in  an  equal  combat  I  would  be  the  last 
to  urge  you  to  surrender.  I  would  say, 
'  Fight,  and  fight  to  the  last/  Surrender 
would  never  come  up  as  a  thought  in  my 
mind  if  the  forces  were  equal.  But  look  at 


234 


CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 


what  we  have  done.  We  have  landed  here 
in  your  country,  and  in  the  face  of  your  op- 
position and  the  climatic  difficulties  we  have 
routed  you  from  your  very  strongest  posi- 
tion; and  if  we  could  rout  you  from  this 
position  you  can  scarcely  drive  us  back.  We 
are  now7  in  a  position  to  demand  your  ab- 
solute and  unconditional  surrender.  There- 
fore, if  you  do  not  surrender  we  shall  force 
you  to  do  so.  But  it  is  my  duty,  being  in 
charge  of  this  invading  army,  to  end  the 
fight  as  humanely  as  possible,  but  to  end 
it." 

After  General  Miles  had  made  himself 
fully  understood,  General  Toral  considered 
the  matter  and  did  the  best  thing  possible 
under  the  circumstances.  He  surrendered 
on  July  i/th.  Mark  you,  I  do  not  say  it  was 
the  best  thing  for  General  Toral,  for  when  our 
troops  entered  Santiago,  when  the  surrender 
was  made  positive,  it  was  seen  that  the  Span- 
ish forces  were  plentifully  furnished  with  am- 
munition and  supplies,  and  it  is  my  opinion 
that  they  could  have  held  out  much  longer. 
But  it  was  this  man  of  will,  this  man  of  force, 
this  man  who  went  and  saw  and  conquered — 


SURRENDER    OF    SANTIAGO. 


235 


the  man  to  have  in  command  in  time  of  war. 
This  man  was  General  Miles,  whom  the 
United  States  can  thank  this  time  and  hence- 
forth for  the  short  and  sweet  campaign  neces- 
sary to  take  Cuba. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

RETURN  OF  THE  ROUGH  RIDERS. 

General  Wheeler  and  Colonel  Roosevelt  welcomed  at  Camp 
Wikoff — Suffering  of  troops  at  Montauk  Point — Home 
coming  of  the  Seventy-first — Contrast  between  naval  mi- 
litia and  volunteers. 

THE  selection  of  Montauk  Point  as  a 
camp  site  for  the  soldiers  returning  from  San- 
tiago was  supposed  to  be  an  ideal  one.  At 
first  it  was  thought  that  the  troops  who  had 
gained  Santiago  would  be  sent  into  the 
mountains  of  Cuba  to  recuperate  and  then 
be  transported  to  Porto  Rico,  but  it  was  de- 
cided at  the  last  moment,  through  a  forceful 
letter  from  Colonel  Theodore  Roosevelt,  to 
send  them  north.  Colonel  Roosevelt  posi- 
tively stated  in  his  communication  that  if 
the  troops  were  not  at  once  shipped  from  the 
fever-stricken  district  of  Santiago  and  the 
surrounding  country  to  some  healthy  and 

sanitary     camp     they     would     die     off     like 
236 


28 


RETURN   OF   THE   ROUGH    RIDERS. 


237 


sheep.  Although  these  men  were  sent  away 
almost  immediately  after  the  statement  of 
Colonel  Roosevelt,  yet  the  events  recorded 
after  their  arrival  at  Montauk  Point — the 
deaths  from  illness  and  starvation — show 
clearly  and  in  as  strong  a  light  as  possible 
that  wisdom  and  practical  sense  of  uncom- 
monly high  order  are  attributes  which  Col- 
onel Roosevelt  possesses  in  company  with  his 
other  better  known  qualities.  Our  men  died 
like  sheep  afflicted  with  a  plague.  But  if  this 
fate  befell  them  in  the  comparatively  whole- 
some surroundings  of  Camp  Wikoff,  what 
unspeakable  horrors  might  not  history  have 
had  to  record  had  the  army  been  suffered  to 
remain  in  the  pest-laden  camps  of  Santiago 
de  Cuba! 

Here  is  an  instance  of  the  general  incom- 
petence displayed  which  came  under  my  no- 
tice at  Camp  Wikoff:  A  transport  engaged 
to  take  troops  and  stores  to  Santiago  at  the 
time  the  army  of  invasion  was  lying  at  Key 
West  brought  back  troops  to  Montauk  Point. 
The  story  goes  that  the  captain  of  the  vessel 
sent  word  to  the  department  from  which  his 
order  came  that  he  had  something  in  the 


CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

hold  of  the  ship  for  delivery  somewhere,  but 
the  exact  spot  he  did  not  know.  On  investi- 
gation it  was  found  that  some  field  artillery 
had  been  stowed  all  the  time  in  the  hold  of 
this  ship.  By  rights  it  should  have  been 
landed  at  Siboney,  but  it  was  carried  back 
to  the  United  States  in  this  vessel  without 
being  touched.  This  is  but  one  example  of 
the  slipshod  manner  in  which  everybody's 
business  proved  to  be  nobody's  business. 

After  dumping  our  troops  into  these 
"  prison  hulks  "  and  pest  holes,  of  which  so 
much  has  been  written  and  said  that  there  ex- 
ists no  need  for  me  to  add  more,  they  arrived 
in  course  of  time  and  debarked  in  an  ema- 
ciated and  debilitated  condition  at  Camp 
Wikoff.  After  all  the  opportunity  for  gain- 
ing experience  that  the  heads  of  the  different 
departments  at  Washington  had  had,  one 
would  conclude  that  Camp  Wikoff  at  Mon- 
tauk  Point  would  have  been  a  splendidly 
equipped  and  organized  camp  for  the  return 
of  our  troops  from  Cuba.  The  contrary  was 
the  case. 

When  the  sick  and  wounded  reached 
Camp  Wikoff  the  hospital  tents  were  unfin- 


General  Wheeler  and  General  Young  at  Camp  Wikoff. 


RETURN   OF   THE   ROUGH    RIDERS.       239 

ished,  and  even  tents  of  the  ordinary  type 
were  not  there  in  sufficient  number  to  give 
these  men  good  and  necessary  shelter  from 
the  weather.  Still  the  boys  were  glad  to  be 
on  Uncle  Sam's  soil  again,  and  right  well  did 
they  enjoy  it.  Those  who  were  able  to  make 
it  known  did  so,  and  those  too  weak  to  make 
any  demonstration  showed  in  their  pallid  and 
suffering  faces  their  delight  to  get  back  home 
once  more. 

In  marked  and  pleasing  contrast  to  the 
enfeebled  and  emaciated  troops  landed  from 
the  pestiferous  transports  at  Montauk  Point 
was  the  condition  presented  by  the  three  hun- 
dred men  of  the  Naval  Militia  of  New  York 
and  Brooklyn  as  they  marched  up  Broadway 
on  September  3d.  These  men  had  been  in 
service  since  April  24th,  when  they  embarked 
on  the  Yankee  (formerly  the  Morgan  liner  El 
Norte),  participating  in  the  bombardment  of 
Santiago  and  the  seizure  of  Guantanamo  Bay. 
On  June  I3th  the  Yankee  chased  and  sunk 
the  Spanish  gunboat  Diego  Velasco,  and 
later  on  did  excellent  duty,  winning  honour  in 
nine  separate  engagements  in  Cuban  waters. 
The  Yankee  was  chosen  to  take  part  in  Com- 


240  CANNON   AND  CAMERA. 

modore  Watson's  proposed  expedition  to 
Spain,  and  her  brave  sailors  were  much  disap- 
pointed when  the  peace  negotiations  rendered 
that  demonstration  unnecessary.  The  Yan- 
kee returned  to  New  York  on  August  28th 
with  a  clean  bill  of  health. 

The  sailors,  as  they  marched  through  the 
city  on  a  broiling  afternoon,  looked  in  the 
pink  of  condition,  healthy  and  hard  as  nails. 
Heads  erect,  eyes  bright,  faces  tanned,  ex- 
pressions animated,  every  movement  full  of 
vitality,  they  did  credit  to  the  navy  they 
served 

The  poor  soldiers  presented  another  and 
sadder  phase  of  the  campaign,  utterly  dis- 
creditable to  the  military  authorities  respon- 
sible, of  which  the  Seventy-first  was  perhaps 
the  most  pitiable  and  forcible  example. 

Probably  the  return  of  the  Rough  Riders 
was  the  event  which  excited  more  popular  in- 
terest than  the  return  of  any  other  single  regi- 
ment. Part  of  the  First  Cavalry  which  had 
been  left  behind  at  Tampa  had  already  ar- 
rived at  Camp  Wikoff  and  had  selected  a 
camp  in  a  beautiful  location.  I  say  a  beauti- 
ful location  because  it  was  on  a  high  hill  sur- 


RETURN   OF   THE    ROUGH   RIDERS. 


241 


rounded  by  a  nice  little  pond  where  there  was 
a  chance  for  the  men  to  take  a  bath  and  oth- 
erwise have  access  to  ocean  breezes  and 
other  health-producing  conditions.  Camp 
Wikoff  is  not  an  ideal  camp,  for  an  ideal  camp 
would  have  possessed  some  large  shade  trees. 
If  a  man  wanted  shade  at  Camp  Wikoff  he 
had  to  remain  under  the  folds  of  his  tent,  for 
once  outside  he  was  in  the  rays  of  a  sun  as 
intense  as  those  he  met  at  Santiago. 

On  the  morning  of  the  arrival  of  the  trans- 
port Miami  at  Montauk  Point  things  were 
in  a  state  of  intense  excitement.  Colonel 
Roosevelt  and  his  men  were  on  board,  as  were 
also  General  Wheeler  and  part  of  his  staff,  so 
that  the  landing  of  this  boat  and  its  comple- 
ment of  troops  was  quite  an  interesting  scene. 
The  Miami  came  alongside  the  dock  about 
ii  o'clock.  Colonel  Edwards  had  charge  of 
the  dock,  and  he  formed  around  it  and  the 
shore  a  heavy  guard  of  the  regular  coloured 
troops.  It  was  impossible  to  induce  these 
troops  to  permit  me  to  gain  admittance  to  a 
much  coveted  position  on  the  dock.  A 
freight  train,  however,  had  backed  up  into  po- 
sition near  the  landing  place,  so  I  hastily  made 


242  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

for  the  top  of  a  freight  car  and  secured  a  good 
position,  from  which  I  took  pictures  of  the 
troops  as  they  came  ashore.  A  large  crowd  of 
friends  of  the  Rough  Riders  and  soldiers  had 
gathered  at  the  dock,  some  coming  in  by  the 
morning  train,  as  the  reports  in  the  morning 
papers  had  made  known  that  they  were  ex- 
pected to  arrive  at  this  time. 

Among  the  very  first  to  land  from  the  Mi- 
ami after  she  had  made  fast  were  General 
Wheeler  and  Colonel  Roosevelt.  General 
Wheeler  was  greeted  with  brotherly  affection 
by  General  Young,  while  Colonel  Roosevelt 
was  met  by  his  brother-in-law,  and  they 
hugged  each  other  like  schoolboys.  Every 
one  pressed  forward,  and  it  looked  as  though 
the  line  of  soldiers  would  be  broken  by  the 
surging  crowd.  Soon  Mrs.  John  A.  Logan, 
the  widow  of  "  Old  Black  Jack,"  was  seen 
making  her  way  through  the  lines,  and  with 
the  permission  of  the  general  in  charge  met 
General  Wheeler  and  Colonel  Roosevelt,  and 
congratulations  were  extended  to  both  by  this 
venerable  lady.  As  General  Wheeler  ap- 
proached, some  one  in  the  crowd  yelled, 
"  Three  cheers  for  General  Wheeler  and  San 


Cu 

6 

OS 

U 


RETURN   OF   THE   ROUGH   RIDERS. 


243 


Juan!"  This  was  taken  up  and  the  three 
cheers  were  given  lustily.  The  general 
doffed  his  little  white  helmet  in  due  apprecia- 
tion of  the  courtesy.  The  troops  as  they 
marched  off  the  transport  seemed  very  weary 
and  careworn  from  the  hardships  undergone. 
The  ranks  of  some  of  the  companies  were  sor- 
rowfully depleted  and  showed  the  sad  havoc 
of  the  fever,  exposure,  the  Mauser  bullets,  and 
the  terrible  warfare  they  had  passed  through. 
Some  of  the  worst  ailing,  who  were  not  able 
to  make  the  landing  unaided,  were  assisted  by 
their  comrades,  and  many  a  sorrowful  sight 
met  the  eyes  of  the  bystanders,  who  wanted  to 
go  in  and  take  on  their  shoulders  these  help- 
less heroes  who  so  well  deserved  it,  but  the 
guard  line  was  too  strong  to  permit  of  any 
such  breach  of  discipline.  Although  there 
was  no  fever  on  board  the  troops  were 
marched  off  to  the  detention  camp  for  the 
time  being. 

When  the  men  arrived  in  camp  I  went  in 
and  around  and  visited  a  great  many  of  my 
old  friends  whom  I  had  known  for  years.  I 
first  came  upon  "  Yale  "  Greenway,  the  man 
who  had  been  so  prominent  in  Yale  athletics 


244 


CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 


for  years.  He  had  been  the  mainstay  of  the 
baseball  and  football  teams — in  fact,  he  had 
been  a  leader  in  all  branches  of  athletics  in 
his  college.  He  also  distinguished  himself 
with  the  Rough  Riders  in  Cuba,  and  he 
looked  as  healthy  as  though  he  had  never  ex- 
perienced a  hardship.  His  athletic  training 
and  his  physical  condition  induced  by  his  ath- 
letic exercises  carried  him  safely  through 
this  trying  ordeal.  Lieutenant  Woodbury 
Kane  was  also  there,  and  welcomed  me  with 
a  glad  smile.  While  he  was  writing  a  tele- 
gram to  some  of  his  friends  to  apprise  them 
of  his  safe  return  I  took  a  shot  at  him,  and  I 
am  now  the  proud  possessor  of  the  nega- 
tive. 

Among  the  others  I  saw  and  who  had  re- 
turned with  honours  were  Craig  Wadsworth, 
the  Knobloch  brothers,  Bull,  of  Harvard,  also 
those  sterling  athletes  Larned  and  Wrenn. 
It  was  a  treat  to  see  these  men  anxiously  grab 
the  loaves  and  fishes  that  were  dished  out  for 
their  first  meal.  They  were  at  home  again, 
and  glad  of  it.  They  made  much  of  this  first 
afternoon.  Camp  was  being  put  into  condi- 
tion, and  many  hampers  and  packages  of  deli- 


RETURN    OF    THE    ROUGH    RIDERS. 


245 


cacies  were  received  by  these  the  most  popu- 
lar troops  of  the  army  for  the  invasion  of 
Cuba. 

Many  and  varied  were  the  wants  of  these 
brave  fellows.  The  most  urgent  need  was  to 
fill  out  various  aching  cavities  about  the  waist 
line;  next  was  the  anxiety  to  inform  their 
friends  and  relatives  of  their  safe  arrival  and 
the  condition  of  health  which  the  close  of  the 
campaign  found  them  in.  The  telegraph 
companies  had  instituted  no  regular  service 
at  this  point  sufficient  to  the  needs  and  re- 
quirements of  the  place,  as  they  should  have 
done.  The  regular  telegraph  station  was 
several  miles  away  from  the  detention  camp; 
therefore,  when  I  made  known  my  willing- 
ness to  take  any  telegrams  for  delivery  that 
they  desired  to  send  I  was  surrounded  by  a 
lot  of  anxious  soldiers.  They  came  from 
every  troop.  The  first  I  had  occasion  to  be 
of  service  to  was  Lieutenant  Woodbury 
Kane.  As  soon  as  he  had  written  his  tele- 
gram, "  Yale "  Greenway  got  in  his  little 
work,  and  so  it  kept  on  for  an  hour  or  so. 

The  sentiments  expressed  were  as  varied 

and  characteristic  as  the  troops  themselves, 
29 


246  CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 

and  they  went  in  all  directions  over  the 
United  States — some  to  the  mansions  of  the 
rich  at  Newport,  others  to  the  prairie  home 
of  the  cowboy.  One  of  the  most  original  of 
these  telegrams  I  will  quote,  omitting,  of 
course,  the  sender's  name,  in  order  to  show 
how  a  gallant  Rough  Rider  telegraphed  his 
sentiments  to  his  sweetheart.  It  was  as  fol- 
lows: "  Darling  Kate:  Stopped  no  bullets; 
caught  no  fever.  Jim." 

One  of  the  Rough  Riders  who  would  have 
been  as  anxious  as  any  of  the  others  to  send 
a  message  to  his  home  folks  was  the  late  la- 
mented Rough  Rider  Sergeant  William  Tif- 
fany. After  the  battle  of  San  Juan  he  was 
detailed  to  proceed  to  Siboney  to  purchase  a 
few  luxuries  for  his  troop.  It  \vas  my  pleas- 
ure on  my  way  in  from  Playa  to  overtake  this 
gallant  Rough  Rider,  and  we  came  along  the 
last  part  of  the  journey  together.  He  wanted 
to  know  where  he  could  obtain  something  in 
the  way  of  refreshments,  and  I  told  him  that 
I  should  be  pleased  to  take  him  to  our  head- 
quarters and  let  him  share  what  we  had  there. 
He  was  overjoyed  at  the  prospect  of  once 
more  sitting  with  his  legs  under  a  table,  and 


RETURN   OF   THE    ROUGH    RIDERS. 


247 


as  he  sat  down  to  the  bacon,  eggs,  and  fried 
potatoes  which  comprised  our  meal  that 
night  he  remarked  on  the  strangeness  he  felt 
in  once  more  handling  a  knife  and  fork. 
Porridge  never  tasted  so  good  to  him  before, 
and  bacon  and  eggs  never  so  palatable;  his 
appreciation  of  this  meal  was  greater,  he  said, 
than  any  he  had  ever  had.  This  was  because 
he  was  hungry.  After  apologizing  for  call- 
ing for  a  second  plate,  he  said  that  on  his  re- 
turn to  New  York  he  should  be  pleased  to 
reciprocate  by  playing  host  for  the  crowd  at 
any  restaurant  we  chose  to  name. 

He  was  then  anxious  to  purchase  some 
tobacco,  cigarettes  or  cigars,  or  whatever 
could  be  obtained  in  this  line.  After  scout- 
ing around  the  camp  and  the  many  different 
places  where  we  were  likely  to  get  such 
things,  I  obtained  a  small  quantity,  for  which 
he  was  very  thankful.  Brummell,  who  was 
the  boy  of  all  work  around  the  Journal  head- 
quarters, made  himself  quite  handy  and  of 
service  to  Sergeant  Tiffany  at  this  time.  He 
helped  him  to  get  a  few  of  the  necessaries  he 
was  in  search  of,  and  after  feeing  this  boy  with 
a  tip  that  would  make  the  head  of  a  Delmoni- 


248  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

co  waiter  swim  with  dizziness,  Sergeant  Tif- 
fany returned  to  his  troop  with  a  better  feel- 
ing at  his  heart.  This  occurred  on  July  8th, 
and  after  enjoying  the  repast  which  to  him  at 
that  time  was  a  sumptuous  meal,  he  strolled 
out  from  the  Journal  headquarters.  I  offered 
him  a  cigar,  which  he  accepted  with  the 
thanks  of  a  gentleman.  It  seemed  to  me  at 
the  time  that  he  had  suffered  much  from  the 
rigours  of  this  campaign,  for  he  was  not  the 
same  man  I  had  seen  about  fashionable  re- 
sorts in  New  York.  His  face  seemed  pinched 
and  drawn,  and  it  had  that  sallow  appearance 
which  is  the  forerunner  of  fever  in  this  cli- 
mate. His  step  was  not  sprightly  and 
springy  as  of  yore,  but  he  was  in  fair  spirits 
and  was  thankful  for  any  courtesies. 

The  treatment  of  the  men  of  the  Seventy- 
first  Regiment  New  York  Volunteers  on 
their  return  from  Cuba  was  not  the  same 
as  that  which  they  experienced  when  they 
first  occupied  their  little  tents  at  Camp  Black 
before  the  war  commenced.  It  was  now 
quite  a  different  life.  Many  of  those  who  had 
been  exultant  in  their  anxiety  to  carry  a  rifle 
and  to  revenge  themselves  for  the  dastardly 


RETURN   OF   THE   ROUGH   RIDERS. 


249 


deed  which  had  been  perpetrated  on  our  brave 
and  gallant  sailors  who  went  down  with  the 
Maine,  were  now  helpless  and  unable  to  show 
any  signs  of  that  spirit  with  which  they  were 
imbued  when  they  sailed  for  Cuba.  They  re- 
turned to  find  that  liberty  was  not  theirs;  to 
find  themselves  in  a  position  scarcely  toler- 
able to  men  who  had  done  so  gallantly  for 
their  country.  Many  a  man  returned  to  the 
States  without  his  "bunkie";  many  of  the 
companies  returned  with  ranks  depleted  to 
such  an  extent  that  they  formed  but  the  skele- 
tons of  companies  and  regiments.  This  de- 
pletion was  not  caused  by  our  real  enemies, 
the  Spanish  forces  in  Cuba,  but  by  army 
contractors,  political  thievery  and  incompe- 
tence on  the  part  of  those  having  the  medical 
and  commissary  departments  in  their  care. 
Not  to  the  Mauser  bullets,  not  to  the  shriek- 
ing shrapnel  from  the  enemies'  batteries,  but 
to  starvation  which  brought  on  sickness,  not 
to  say  the  neglect  and  willful  cruelty  where 
incompetence  was  not  the  only  fault  of  the 
medical  officers.  Even  had  the  provisions 
been  rushed  to  the  front  by  the  commissary 
branches  of  the  corps  then  in  Cuba,  what  phy- 


250  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

sician — nay,  what  schoolboy  of  fifteen  years — 
does  not  know  that  filthy  greasy  pork  which 
has  been  salted  down  for  so  many  years  that 
the  stench  escaping  when  the  barrels  are 
opened  is  sufficient  to  act  as  a  strong  emetic 
on  the  average  individual's  stomach,  is  not 
only  not  proper  food  in  the  tropics,  but  is  ab- 
solutely poisonous  under  such  circumstances? 
The  crime  perpetrated  on  the  American  vol- 
unteers by  a  tribe  of  military  contractors  who 
received  from  the  Administration  awards  of 
large  contracts  should  be  avenged.  The 
conduct  of  the  so-called  physicians  and  sur- 
geons who  have  but  a  kitchen  interest  in 
their  art  and  profession  will  react,  I  fear, 
in  future  responses  for  volunteers.  Let  us 
hope  not. 

The  men  brought  to  Camp  Wikoff  re- 
ceived none  of  the  attention  and  care  which 
they  would  have  received  had  they  been  per- 
mitted to  join  their  families  and  be  under  the 
affection,  love,  and  nursing  of  mothers, 
brothers,  fathers,  sisters,  and  friends,  instead 
of  being  left  to  the  mercy  and  pollution  of 
the  vultures  who  would  have  made  less  money 
had  they  been  mustered  out  promptly  or 


RETURN    OF   THE    ROUGH     RIDERS. 


251 


given  sixty  or  even  thirty  days'  furlough,  dur- 
ing which  time  the  men  would  have  received 
a  money  equivalent  for  their  rations,  and  the 
poor  contractors  would  have  been  deprived 
of  this  golden  opportunity  of  making  an 
"  honest  dollar." 

The  wounded  and  sick  were  rushed  into 
tents  and  improvised  hospitals,  where  they 
were  under  the  care  of  the  regimental  sur- 
geons, instead  of  wives,  and  mothers,  and  sis- 
ters, and  their  food  was  hard-tack  and  putrid 
pork — until  the  bounty  of  private  charity 
came  to  their  aid.  It  was  then  that  the  Ad- 
ministration papers  took  the  opportunity  of 
trying  to  show  that  the  Government  was  fa- 
vouring the  soldiers  with  kind  treatment, 
when  it  was  the  kind-hearted  American  men 
and  women  who  happened  to  visit  the  camp 
for  the  purpose  of  aiding,  be  it  ever  so  little. 
Many  cases  of  individual  suffering  have 
reached  the  ears  of  the  American  public,  but 
many  more  are  recitals  of  the  trials  and  suffer- 
ings of  those  who  were  crushed  under  them 
and  are  now  unable  to  speak  since  death 
robbed  them  of  an  opportunity  to  tell  their 
woes. 


252  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

After  the  press  had  come  to  the  aid  of  the 
soldiers  it  was  deemed  advisable  by  the  au- 
thorities to  muster  the  men  out  at  this  point. 
This  was  made  known  in  and  about  the  camp 
for  some  days  previous  to  their  departure. 
Preparations  were  made  to  convey  the  Sev- 
enty-first New  York  Regiment  down  to  the 
Battery,  New  York,  from  which  point  they 
were  to  march  up  Broadway  to  their  armory, 
there  to  be  dispersed  and  permitted  to  go  to 
their  homes,  where  they  were  sought.  Their 
arrival  at  Long  Island  City  upon  the  oc- 
casion of  their  trip  to  New  York  city  for 
mustering  out  was  in  marked  contrast  to  their 
departure  from  this  place  for  the  front.  When 
they  arrived  at  this  terminus,  the  boat  was  in 
readiness.  There  was  no  twenty-two  hours' 
wait  in  a  railroad  yard,  amid  the  noise  and 
dirt  of  the  engines  and  under  the  direct  rays 
of  the  sun.  The  boat,  I  say,  was  there,  but 
the  meal  was  provided  not  by  a  thankful  na- 
tion through  its  Government,  but  by  the 
spontaneous  munificence  of  private  charity. 
Think  of  it,  heroes!  Charity  is  your  re- 
ward! Charity  the  return  to  you  for  your 
free  offering  of  life  and  your  relinquish- 


X 

U 


RETURN    OF    THE    ROUGH    RIDERS.       253 

ment  of  all  the  comforts  and  advantages  en- 
joyed by  you  in  your  social  sphere  in  civil 
life.  When  they  arrived  at  Long  Island  City 
the  soldiers  were  met  by  some  of  the  brave 
veterans  of  the  civil  war.  Glad  hands  were 
extended  and  grasped  on  all  sides.  Mothers, 
sisters,  brothers,  fathers,  and  friends  from  all 
quarters  were  there  to  welcome  the  men. 

The  trip  on  the  ferryboat  Flushing  from 
the  landing  at  the  Long  Island  depot  to  the 
Battery  was  as  triumphal  a  sail  along  the 
East  River  as  has  been  witnessed  in  the  past 
decade.  The  pilots  on  the  river,  from  those 
having  charge  of  a  saucy  little  tug  to  those 
piloting  the  large  Fall  River  steamers,  knew7 
the  character  of  the  "  freight  "  on  board  this 
ferryboat,  and  they  showed  their  feelings  by 
continuous  tooting  of  whistles.  They  knew 
what  these  men  had  suffered  and  performed, 
and  they  acknowledged  the  claim  on  their 
gratitude.  Salutes  were  given  to  this  craft 
on  all  sides.  The  river  shores  were  lined, 
and  cheer  after  cheer,  veritable  volleys  of 
joyful  sound,  went  ringing  out  from  both 
shores  of  the  river. 

Arrived  at  the  Battery,  they  found  such  a 
30 


254  CANNON   AND    CAMERA. 

throng  as  can  gather  in  New  York  city  only. 
No  other  people  would  have  tolerated  the 
banging,  pushing,  and  shoving  which  this  cos- 
mopolitan crowd  withstood  in  this  city  on 
this  occasion.  They  had  waited  hour  after 
hour  on  the  streets  to  welcome  these  men,  and 
a  right  good  welcome  they  gave  the  soldiers. 
The  veterans  who  stayed  at  home  were  gath- 
ered at  the  Battery  and  drawn  up  in  double 
line.  Cars  were  provided  to  transport  the 
men  along  the  streets,  so  as  not  to  tire  them 
by  a  long  walk  from  the  Battery  to  Waverley 
Place;  ambulances  were  filled  with  the  sick 
and  wounded  and  those  unable  to  march  in 
the  ranks,  in  order  that  these  men  might  re- 
ceive the  same  reception  as  was  accorded  to 
their  fellow-soldiers  who  had  been  more  for- 
tunate in  the  matter  of  wounds  and  illness 
than  they  had. 

As  they  proceeded  up  Broadway  there 
was  a  great  display  of  bunting  from  every 
business  house.  Men,  women,  and  children 
waved  the  Stars  and  Stripes  with  tender  feel- 
ing for  these  men,  coupled  with  pride  in  them, 
which  was  fully  warranted  and  justified. 
They  marched  up  Broadway  to  Waverley 


u 

I 


RETURN    OF    THE    ROUGH    RIDERS. 


255 


Place,  then  to  Fifth  Avenue,  then  to  the 
armory  of  the  regiment.  This  trip,  with  the 
exception  of  the  charge  up  San  Juan  hill,  was 
possibly  the  proudest  moment  in  Colonel 
Downs's  life.  It  was  manifestly  a  reception 
most  hearty  and  generous,  a  reception  that  a 
hero  alone  is  worthy  of.  His  presence  in  the 
front  of  the  regiment,  followed  by  the  regi- 
mental chaplain  looking  little  the  worse  for 
wear,  in  deep  contrast  to  his  colonel,  was 
loudly  cheered.  The  greeting  encouraged 
him  so  that  he  looked  ready  and  fit  to  go 
through  another  such  campaign.  Let  the 
critics  and  those  who  pen  the  history  of  this 
campaign  say  what  they  may;  let  them  talk 
as  they  like;  let  their  opinions  be  put  in  black 
and  white,  it  still  remains  a  fact  that  the  rank 
and  file  of  the  Seventy-first  Regiment,  New 
York  Volunteers,  for  whom  I  can  speak  per- 
sonally, were  as  brave  a  lot  of  fellows  as  ever 
shouldered  a  rifle.  These  men  returned  to 
their  armory  in  a  sorry  condition.  Many 
were  social  lights  and  many  such  had  died 
fighting  for  their  country,  and  had  gone  to 
meet  the  Great  Commander.  It  is  a  most 
significant  fact  that  while  these  men  had 


256  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

shown  such  fortitude  and  gallantry  under 
the  hardships  which  they  endured  during 
their  last  days  at  Santiago,  the  percentage 
of  the  sick  was  enormous.  Had  this  cam- 
paign at  Santiago  been  conducted  in  a  sol- 
dierly manner  these  men  would  not  have 
been  permitted  to  lie  so  long  in  those  pits 
of  disease,  the  trenches.  Something  certain- 
ly could  have  been  done  to  alleviate  the  suf- 
ferings, hardships,  and  inconveniences,  to 
which  not  only  the  men  of  the  Seventy-first 
Regiment  were  subjected,  but  the  entire 
Fifth  Army  Corps. 

The  following  letter  from  my  friend  the 
late  Eugene  Goff  is  worthy  of  record.  It  tells 
in  a  plain  unvarnished  way  of  the  sufferings 
of  the  Seventy-first.  It  was  written  with  no 
view  to  publication,  and  to  one  who  reads 
between  the  lines  it  means  a  good  deal. 

"  IN  THE  FIELD  NEAR  SANTIAGO  DE  CUBA, 
"August  4,  1898. 

"  FRIEND  SAM:  I  wrote  you  a  letter  some 
time  ago,  about  the  gth  or  loth  of  July,  I 
think,  and  have  received  no  answer  as  yet. 
Still,  as  I  know  the  mails  are  very  uncertain,  I 
surmise  you  might  not  have  received  it. 


PQ 


RETURN    OF    THE    ROUGH    RIDERS. 


257 


"  My  primary  motive  in  writing  this  is  to 
inform  you  of  the  sad  death  of  poor  Billy 
Cheevers.  He  died  on  August  ist,  at  about 
9.30  P.  M.,  after  an  illness  lasting  off  and  on 
about  twenty-two  days.  The  disease  was 
fever.  He  makes  the  third  one  in  the  regi- 
ment to  go  within  the  last  week. 

"'  Billy  was  brave  and  merry  right  up  to 
the  last,  so  much  so  that  we  all  thought  he 
would  pull  through.  Gafrney  was  the  man 
on  watch  with  him  at  the  last,  and  Billy's  mind 
was  on  military  matters  almost  entirely.  He 
imagined  he  was  going  through  the  battle 
again,  and  furthermore,  for  some  unaccount- 
able reason,  thought  he  was  in  the  old 
Twenty-second. 

"  I  tell  you,  Sam,  we  have  put  in  a  terrible 
campaign  since  the  ist,  2nd,  and  3rd  of  July. 
I  doubt  if  there  is  a  man  in  the  outfit  who 
would  not  rather  go  through  the  din  and  roar 
of  actual  battle  than  undergo  again  the  hard- 
ships of  the  last  month. 

"  At  least  fifty  per  cent  of  the  regiment 
have  been  down  with  the  fever,  some  with 
mild  attacks,  others  with  severe.  It  was  my 
fortune  to  get  it  quite  severely.  It  com- 


258  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

menced  on  the  i6th  of  last  month,  and  I  have 
not  fully  recovered  yet — in  fact,  don't  expect 
to  until  I  reach  the  North  (if  I  ever  do).  For 
three  alternate  days  I  lay  grovelling  on  the 
ground  hour  after  hour,  just  praying  God  to 
let  me  die.  My  feelings  were  something  ter- 
rible. It  was  as  if  I  were  put  in  a  crematory 
while  alive  and  the  heat  turned  on,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  which  my  head  was  splitting  open, 
and  it  appeared  as  if  my  spine  had  been 
broken.  I  tell  you  it  was  terrible. 

"  We  are  all  eagerly  awaiting  orders  to 
move  away  from  here,  and  expect  to  go  inside 
of  another  week.  I  tell  you,  we  are  -all 
pretty  well  broken  up  around  here.  It  is 
only  recently  that  we  have  been  able  to  get 
anything  to  eat  except  the  regulation  hard- 
tack, pork,  and  coffee. 

"  I  realize  now  that  if  I  had  stayed  with 
the  old  organization  my  lines  would  have 
been  more  pleasant,  but  personally  I  do  not 
regret  the  step  as  yet,  except  in  so  far  as  it 
perhaps  led  to  Billy's  death.  He  was  hardly 
in  a  physical  condition  to  withstand  the  hard- 
ships and  vicissitudes  of  this  campaign.  He 
was  very  sick  at  Lakeland,  Fla.,  but  ap- 


c  > 

1 1 

550  £ 

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>  _ 

c/)  S 


RETURN   OF   THE   ROUGH    RIDERS.       259 

parently  recovered.  Poor  Bill!  He  is 
buried  right  in  front  of  the  American  en- 
trenchments on  the  slope  of  the  hill  facing 
Santiago.  Right  back  of  him  are  the  inden- 
tations made  by  Captain  Capron's  battery. 
We  acted  as  their  support  during  the  last 
bombardment. 

"  Billy  proved  himself  a  brave  and  fearless 
soldier  all  the  way  through.  He  was  acting 
corporal  on  July  ist,  and  brought  his  squad 
up  on  the  hill  together.  He  was  right  with 
me  when  we  arrived  on  the  extreme  top,  and 
if  I  hadn't  jumped  in  front  of  him  at  the  last 
moment  would  have  been  the  first  man  in  the 
regiment  to  reach  the  blockhouse.  We 
were  right  together  throughout,  and  I  really 
think  that  he,  Chalfin  (an  old  regular-army 
man),  and  myself  fired  more  deliberate  shots 
at  actual  moving  Spaniards  than  all  the  rest 
of  the  Seventy-first  Regiment  put  together. 
I  don't  say  all  this  boastfully,  but  to  try  and 
give  you  some  idea  of  Billy's  sterling  quali- 
ties. 

"  Decker,  of  our  company,  was  killed  right 
alongside  of  Billy,  but  he  was  so  intent  on  his 
work  that  he  hardly  knew  it.  It  is  all  too 


26o  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

bad.     I  can  hardly  realize  it  as  yet.     Well,  I 
trust  to  get  North  and  see  you  some  day. 
"  Good-bye. 

"  From  GENE  GOFF." 

But  to  come  back  to  Camp  Wikoff:  Its 
unsanitary  condition  soon  began  to  foster 
fever,  and  the  neglect  of  the  soldiers  in  the 
hospitals,  where  they  were  literally  starving — 
for  they  could  not  eat  the  coarse  fare  pro- 
vided— raised  a  storm  of  indignation  through- 
out the  country.  Some  of  the  most  outra- 
geous evils  were  rectified,  but  Camp  Wikoff, 
which  was  evacuated  by  all  the  volunteer 
regiments  by  September  24th,  proved  the 
deathplace  of  hundreds  of  brave  men  who 
might  have  been  alive  to-day  had  proper  care 
been  given  them. 

And  now7  my  task  is  finished.  My  en- 
deavour has  been  to  describe  scenes  in  the 
war  which  I  myself  witnessed.  I  have  not 
attempted  to  give  a  history  of  the  campaign, 
but  have  simply  dealt  with  naval  and  military 
events  which  came  within  my  own  personal 
observation.  I  have  felt  it  my  duty  at  times 
to  criticise  quite  freely  the  gross  mismanage- 


RETURN    OF    THE    ROUGH    RIDERS.       261 

ment  which  characterized  the  war  from  be- 
ginning to  end,  but  in  no  case  have  I  blamed 
without  cause.  It  is  hard  to  lose  dear  friends 
by  the  bullets  of  the  enemy,  but  it  is  far  hard- 
er to  realize  that  hundreds  perished  in  our 
own  camps  and  transports  of  starvation  and 
disease,  caused  by  the  criminal  negligence 
and  incompetence  of  those  in  charge. 

Where  is  there  an  American  who  can  read 
without  righteous  indignation  the  report  of 
General  Sir  Herbert  Kitchener,  the  victor  of 
the  campaign  in  the  Soudan  just  brought  to 
a  triumphal  close?  The  sirdar  writes  in  cor- 
dial commendation  of  the  commissary,  medi- 
cal, and  transport  departments  and  the  "  ex- 
cellent rations  which  were  always  provided 
and  kept  the  men  strong,  healthy,  and  fit  to 
endure  all  the  hardships  of  an  arduous  cam- 
paign, enabling  them  at  a  critical  moment 
to  support  exceptional  fatigue,  continuous 
marching,  and  fighting  for  fourteen  hours 
during  the  height  of  a  Soudan  summer." 

What  a  shameful  contrast  is  presented  by 
the  pitiable  results  of  our  own  campaign! 


APPENDIX. 


Hints  to  Amateur  and  Professional  Photographers. 

To  the  professional  and  amateur  photog- 
rapher I  wish  to  say  a  few  words  in  concluding 
my  narrative  of  the  events  I  witnessed  in  the 
war  between  the  United  States  and  Spain.  I 
wish  to  say  something  that  every  photographer 
may  derive  benefit  from.  My  experience  in  this 
campaign  has  been  quite  varied  and  interesting 
from  the  view  point  of  the  photographer.  It 
was  my  first  experience  of  this  character,  but  I 
trust  it  will  not  be  my  last.  Practical  experi- 
ence, as  all  know,  is  one  of  the  best  teachers, 
and  it  is  something  which  a  man  can  not  ac- 
quire from  books.  Not  only  does  it  give  the 
method,  but  it  also  gives  the  skill  and  efficiency. 
I  do  not  mean  to  state  that  the  few  suggestions 
I  am  about  to  give  will  make  a  photographer  of 
one  unskilled  in  the  art.  A  photographer  must 

necessarily  experience  these  things  in  order  to 

263 


264  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

become  proficient;  but  I  do  want  to  impart  to 
my  fellow-workers  some  hints  which  may  pos- 
sibly help  them  should  they  undertake  anything 
of  this  kind.  There  are  many  older  heads  in 
the  profession  than  mine,  and  those  who  have 
rendered  greater  service  to  the  art  than  "I  have ; 
but,  as  the  old  saying  goes,  there  is  something 
to  be  learned  from  every  fool  and  every  child, 
so  possibly  there  may  be  something  learned 
from  me. 

I  wish  to  state  that,  while  it  is  necessary  to 
have  good  lenses,  good  cameras,  good  plates, 
and,  in  fact,  everything  good  in  the  line  of  tools 
and  implements  incidental  to  the  proper  practice 
of  the  profession,  still  there  must  be  something 
more  than  this.  The  camera  is  like  the  gun  of 
the  war  ship :  while  the  gun  can  do  the  deadly 
execution,  while  shot  and  shell  are  brought  to  a 
state  of  perfection  by  our  skilled  artisans,  the 
man  must  be  behind  the  gun.  So  it  is  with  the 
camera.  I  do  not  wish  to  give  the  impression 
that  I  am  the  only  photographer:  my  desire  is 
simply  to  state  that  I  consider  myself  fortunate 
in  being  one  of  the  few  photographers  who  have 
had  the  privilege  and  opportunity  to  reproduce 
the  stirring  and  splendid  pictures  of  this  exciting 


APPENDIX. 


265 


time  and  its  incidents  which  I  am  proud  to  have 
been  a  spectator  of.  I  shall  recall  these  scenes 
in  future  and  associate  them  with  all  ideas  of 
the  life  and  dash  in  a  man's  composition — scenes 
which  have  called  a  man  to  his  senses  in  more 
than  one  instance. 

To  go  through  a  war  and  depict  the  scenes 
with  which  one  momentarily  comes  in  contact 
is  to  do  something  for  which  I  can  hardly  find  a 
fitting  comparison.  The  life  there  depicted  is 
full  of  trials  and  tortures,  experiences  which 
would  almost  rend  a  man's  heart  asunder.  A 
man  becomes  callous  after  witnessing  the 
wonderful  exhibitions  of  exalted  courage  and 
action  which  mortal  man  can  endure  in  mo- 
ments of  martial  inspiration.  No  man  can  go 
on  a  field  of  battle  and  witness  such  things  with- 
out becoming  callous.  I  do  not  mean  to  say 
that  a  man  loses  all  his  sympathy,  but  he  tem- 
porarily parts  with  his  nicer  feelings  in  the  ter- 
rible realities  that  he  passes  through.  Bancroft  Library 

As  I  have  said,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
have  good  tools  with  which  to  do  one's  work. 
When  you  have  these,  then  you  can  go  ahead 
with  might  and  will.  In  the  first  place,  the 
kind  of  climate  one  finds  in  Cuba  is  not  at  all 


266  CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 

favourable  to  the  photographer  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  his  calling.  While  I  admit  the  light  is 
almost  perfect,  yet  there  are  drawbacks  almost 
impossible  to  overcome.  In  the  early  morning 
there  is  a  dampness  in  the  atmosphere,  which  is 
apt  to  make  your  plates  or  films,  whichever  you 
use,  useless,  and  sometimes  to  render  them  ab- 
solutely worthless.  The  greatest  care  must  be 
taken  to  protect  your  plates  and  films  from  this 
damp  atmosphere.  While  I  should  not  advise 
every  one  to  do  as  I  have  done  (because  I  have 
since  seen  where  my  experience  taught  me  some- 
thing by  which  I  could  in  future  profit),  I  would 
say  that  the  future  photographing  of  war  scenes 
will  be  done  with  cameras  quite  different  from 
those  I  used  in  this  campaign.  I  have  already 
laid  my  plans  and  ordered  new  cameras  in  an- 
ticipation of  what  history  may  bring  forth. 

All  through  this  war  I  carried  glass  plates  in 
large  quantities,  and  in  travelling  from  place  to 
place  I  found  them  a  very  heavy  burden.  They 
could  not  be  stowed  away  in  small  places  or  with 
the  convenience  of  films,  therefore  I  should  ad- 
vise that  films  be  used  wherever  a  long  journey 
is  expected.  No  doubt  glass  plates  have  some 
advantages  in  their  genuine  lasting  qualities 


APPENDIX. 


267 


which  the  films  do  not  possess.  The  support 
of  the  film — the  celluloid — has  something  very 
defective  in  its  composition  which  has  not  up  to 
this  time  been  eradicated,  and  it  affects  the  sen- 
sitiveness of  the  film,  but  this,  I  hope,  chem- 
ical experts  may  control,  or  entirely  overcome, 
in  the  near  future. 

To  the  professional  photographer  who  goes 
to  the  front  to  depict  anything  and  everything 
that  may  occur  I  would  give  the  advice  to  use  as 
small  a  camera  as  possible  to  render  his  pic- 
ture properly  discernible.  To  go  more  minutely 
into  details,  I  would  advise  the  use  of  a  rapid- 
working  lens,  no  matter  whose  make  it  may  be, 
as  long  as  it  has  that  necessary  and  requisite 
property  of  dealing  with  a  large,  plain  field,  good 
depth  of  focus,  and  plenty  of  brilliancy.  A  lens 
that  is  not  exactly  a  landscape  lens,  but  one  be- 
tween the  two,  a  lens  more  on  the  portrait  style, 
seems  to  be  more  adaptable,  as  it  works  with  a 
larger  aperture,  and  is  applicable  to  all  kinds  of 
work,  and  we  know  that  portraits  and  figures 
are  the  most  important  parts  in  photographing 
such  a  subject  as  I  have  here  before  me. 

A  camera  not  larger  than  five  by  seven  is 
the  most  convenient  to  use.  If  it  is  adapted  for 


268  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

films  as  well  as  plates  so  much  the  better.  A 
camera  convertible,  to  use  with  either  films  or 
plates,  in  my  opinion  is  the  ideal  camera.  If 
you  are  going  on  a  short  journey  I  say  take 
plates  and  use  them,  for  the  results  gained  will 
repay  you  for  the  extra  labour  you  may  perform 
in  carrying  them  with  you.  If  you  are  going  on 
a  long  journey,  not  knowing  when  you  may 
return,  not  knowing  where  you  may  go,  I  should 
say  the  daylight  film  is  the  most  convenient  and 
the  most  popular  of  the  present-day  creations. 
It  is  sometimes  necessary  in  going  on  extended 
trips  to  take  a  developer  along,  with  which  you 
can  test  your  film  and  know  what  you  are  work- 
ing at;  therefore  I  should  advise  taking  along 
a  developer  made  up  in  powder  form,  by  which 
you  can  make  a  test  of  each  film  as  you  progress. 
There  is  always  some  place  where  this  work  can 
be  done. 

There  may  be  such  a  word  as  "  can't,"  but  I 
shall  never  use  it  if  I  can  possibly  help.  The 
old  saying,  that  where  there  is  a  will  there  is  a 
way,  came  to  me  with  vivid  force  during  this 
campaign.  The  pictures  made  nowadays  do  not 
convey  to  the  reader  the  same  romantic  specta- 
cle that  one  is  accustomed  to  seek  and  find  in 


APPENDIX. 


269 


past  war  pictures,  for  the  use  of  smokeless  pow- 
der has  taken  away  the  effect  of  clouds  of  dense 
smoke,  through  portions  of  which  were  to  be 
seen,  dimly  outlined,  the  opposing  forces  and 
all  the  attendant  incidents.  I  imagine  that  if  a 
shutter  can  be  made  fast  enough  to  take  the  bul- 
lets as  they  whiz  through  the  air,  then  war  scenes 
may  again  become  very  vivid,  picturesque,  and 
romantic.  But  can  we  ever  expect  this? 
Think,  you  photographers.  Just  think  for  a 
moment.  Think  of  the  rate  at  which  these  little 
missives  of  death  can  travel.  This  is,  of  course, 
but  a  dream,  as  we  know  it  will  never  happen, 
but  we  know  there  must  be  something  that  will 
give  that  vividness  and  reality  which  the  ab- 
sence of  smoke  now  deprives.  I  found  that 
while  I  was  exposed  to  the  dangers  of  the  bul- 
lets and  the  breaking  of  shells  around  me  my 
work  kept  me  preoccupied;  that  I  really  forgot 
in  a  great  many  instances  that  I  was  on  the 
field  of  battle. 

It  has  been  said  of  the  gallant  men  who  fight 
on  the  line  that  they  forget  the  danger  when 
they  once  commence  their  work,  and  I  positively 
believe  such  is  the  case.  A  man  gets  to  work, 
and  if  he  is  in  earnest  I  really  think  he  forgets 


2/0  CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 

everything  around  him  and  is  wrapped  up  in 
the  results  which  he  has  taken  such  chances  to 
gain.  While  every  picture  a  man  should  take 
under  these  circumstances  might  not  be  a  work 
of  art,  still  it  is  possible  to  change  position  and 
get  a  variety  of  pictures.  It  is  one's  duty  to 
depict  that  which  seems  to  be  the  best.  There- 
fore a  selection  of  subjects  will  cause  you  less 
annoyance  when  you  come  to  develop,  and 
find  you  have  no  repetitions.  If  you  study  your 
pictures  you  will  find  that  you  can  portray  many 
more  scenes  and  incidents  with  half  as  much 
work  than  if  you  went  into  the  field  without  any 
certain  plan. 

While  I  can  not  say  that  I  long  to  see  an- 
other war,  yet  I  have  a  craving  to  go  and  do 
again  what  I  think  I  could  now  do  better. 
Should  a  chance  present  itself  in  future  for  me  to 
do  what  I  have  done  in  the  past,  I  think  I  could 
do  myself,  and  the  profession  in  general,  more 
credit  than  I  have  hitherto. 

The  camera  of  which  I  think  a  great  deal 
will  be  heard  in  future  in  photographing  battle 
scenes  and  stirring  pictures  of  troops  in  action 
will  be  a  camera  likened  unto  the  moving-lens 
camera,  a  camera  of  which  one  might  say  it 


APPENDIX.  271 

looks  behind  you.  It  is  a  camera  which  will 
take  in  a  field  of  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to 
one  hundred  and  sixty  degrees.  These  cameras 
will  be  so  made  and  adapted  in  time  to  come 
that  they  will  be  used  in  the  hand,  as  my  own 
camera  is  now,  and  will  portray  from  one  side  to 
the  other,  including,  as  I  said  before,  a  large 
and  extensive  angle.  I  can  not  go  into  details, 
as  I  have  not  fully  developed  the  idea.  This 
will  be  the  camera  I  shall  use  in  the  future 
should  I  ever  have  the  opportunity. 

I  trust  in  these  few  suggestions  that  some- 
thing may  be  found  to  help  my  brothers  and  sis- 
ters— for  has  not  this  glorious  art  been  taken 
up  by  women  with  all  the  enthusiasm  and  pride 
which  they  infuse  into  all  their  undertakings? 
It  is  not  the  professional  who  does  so  much 
for  the  art,  or  who  has  done  so  much  in  the 
past  for  photography,  for  the  professional  looks 
to  but  the  dollar-and-cents  end.  It  is  the  ama- 
teur to  whom  we  must  look  for  improvements; 
his  aim  is  to  do  something  which  has  not  yet 
been  done,  for  he  has  time  to  do  it.  Therefore 
we  have  to  thank  the  amateur  for  several  praise- 
worthy improvements. 

I  trust  this  little  work  may  be  of  some  value 


272 


CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 


to  the  reader  interested  in  this  branch  of  pho- 
tography, and  that  the  illustrations  herein  will 
be  judged  from  the  conditions  under  which  they 
were  made. 

J.  C.  HEMMENT. 


I  N  DEX. 


Adams,  W.  Lincoln,  introduc- 
tion by. 

Almirante  Oquendo,  Spanish 
war  ship,  210,  218. 

Ambushes  of  Cuban  and 
Spanish  pickets,  122. 

Appendix,  hints  to  amateur 
and  professional  photogra- 
phers, 262  et  seq. 

Arkell,  W.  J.,  10. 

Arrolas,  General,  29. 

Art  under  difficulties,  98  et 
seq. 

Asarradero,  214. 

Baiquiri,  80. 

Balloon,  war,  135,  145. 

Barb-wire  fences,  120. 

Barton,  Miss  Clara,  79. 

Birds,  calls  of,  used  as  signals 
by  Spaniards,  120. 

Blockading  squadron,  70, 
105. 

Blue,  Lieutenant,  218. 

Board  of  inquiry,  25. 

Bombardment  of  Morro  Cas- 
tle, Santiago,  107  et  seq. 


Brooklyn,  flagship  of  Admi- 
ral Schley,  208,  212. 

Brummell,  247. 

Bull,  of  Harvard,  Rough  Rid- 
er, 244. 

Bullets,    stray,   execution   by, 

179- 
Bullfights,  27,  29. 

Cabana,  4. 

Cabarellos,  20. 

Camera,  62,  65,  200. 

Camp  Black,  41-44  ;  drills  of 
recruits  at,  47  ;  discipline 
at,  51  ;  unsanitary  condi- 
tion of,  52. 

Camp  Wikoff,  Montauk  Point, 

237  ;  landing  of  troops  at, 

238  ;  insufficient  shelter  for 
sick  and   wounded  at,  239  ; 
Rough     Riders     arrive    at, 
241  ;  arrival  of  Seventy-first 
at,  250  ;  neglect  and  suffer- 
ing at,  251  ;  unsanitary  con- 
dition  of,    260 ;  evacuation 
of,  by  volunteers,  260. 

Cape  de  Verde  fleet,  destruc- 
273 


2/4 


CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 


tion  of,  by  American  fleet, 

212. 

Capron,  Captain,  87,  259. 
Caribbean    Sea,  roughness  of, 

7L 

Cartridge  pudding,  131. 
Cervera,    Admiral,    39,     109, 

206,  209  ;  destruction  of  his 

fleet,  206  et  seq. 
Chadwick,  Captain,  24. 
"Chang"  pie,  131. 
Cheevers,    Private     William, 

48  ;    death   of,  from   fever, 

257. 
Chickamauga,   camp    at,    53, 

57  ;  departure  of  transports 
from,  60. 

Chidwick,  Father,  chaplain  of 
the  Maine,  25,  29. 

Chills  and  fever,  175. 

Cristobal  Colon,  Spanish  war 
ship,  212. 

Clark,  Captain,  in  command 
of  Sylvia,  69. 

Clothing,  list  of,  taken  by  au- 
thor, 64. 

Cocoanuts,  132. 

Colon  Cemetery,  Havana,  26. 

Coloured    troops,    jollity    of, 

58  ;  bravery  of,   165  ;   bold 
attack  on  Spanish  trenches, 
169. 

Converse,  Captain,  in  com- 
mand of  Montgomery,  21, 

22. 

Corsair,  yacht.  See  Glouces- 
ter. 


Cowardice,  Spanish  sailors 
shot  by  their  officers  for, 
222. 

Creedmoor,  rifle  ranges  at,  48. 

Creelman,  James,  correspond- 
ent, 112,  113  ;  bravery  and 
wound  of,  at  El  Caney,  171, 
225. 

Crowninshield,  Captain,  com- 
mander of  Maine,  succeed- 
by  Captain  Sigsbee,  3. 

Crystal  Spring  Hotel,  Kings- 
ton, Jamaica,  67. 

Cuban  soldiers,  30  ;  sickness 
and  starvation  of,  31  ;  sad 
condition  of,  at  Siboney, 
80,  84  ;  Spanish  sympa- 
thizers among,  174;  Span- 
ish sailors  in  sea  shot  by, 
214. 

Custom  house,  Havana,  6 ; 
spies  from,  36 ;  bribery  of 
officials  of,  37. 

Dark  room,  35,  100. 

Decker,  Private,  killed  before 
Santiago,  259. 

Disguises  of  Spanish  and  Cu- 
ban pickets,  115,  122. 

Divers  on  wreck  of  Maine, 
23  ;  body  of  Lieutenant 
Jenkins  recovered  by,  24. 

Downs,  Colonel,  of  Seventy- 
first  Regiment,  255. 

Edwards,  Colonel,  241. 

El  Caney,  charge  at,  164  etseq.\ 


INDEX. 


275 


capture  of,  165  ;  bravery  of 
Spanish  officer  at,  167  ;  suf- 
fering and  starvation  of  Cu-  j 
ban  refugees  at,  176  ;  sur-  ' 
render  of  blockhouse  near, 
200. 

El    Pozo,    violent    storm    at, 
92,   144;    old   fort  at,   146, 

153- 
Engineer   Corps,   good    work 

of,  at  Siboney,  770. 
Eulate,  Captain,  in  command 

of  Viscaya,  208,  209,  211. 

First  Cavalry,  237. 

Fish,  Hamilton,  224. 

Flag,    American.     See     Stars 

and  Stripes. 
Flag,    Cuban,    presented    by 

General      Garcia     to     Mr.  ' 

Hearst,  83. 
Flag,  Spanish,  7  ;    shot    from 

ramparts  of  Morro,  109. 
Flushing,  ferryboat,  253. 
Follausbee,    J.,    member     of 

expedition,    66,    138,    144, 

146,  172  ;  captures  Spanish 

soldiers,  173. 
Forty-seventh  Regiment,  New 

York  Volunteers,  44. 
Fourteenth    Regiment,    New 

York  Volunteers,  44. 
Furor,  Spanish  torpedo  boat, 

210,  211. 

Gadalia,  Senor,  30. 

Garcia,  General,  arrival  of,  at 


Siboney,  80 ;  visit  to,  80 ; 
co-operates  with  General 
Shafter's  forces,  81  ;  pre- 
sents Cuban  flag  to  Mr. 
Hearst,  83  ;  photographed 
in  group  with  Mr.  Creel - 
man,  83  ;  departure  of,  from 
Siboney,  85. 

Gloucester,  formerly  yacht 
Corsair,  chases  Pluton  and 
Terror  ashore,  211. 

Goff,  Sergeant  Eugene  W., 
48,  50  ;  letter  from,  256. 

Gonzalez,  Senor,  30. 

Government,  United  States, 
instructions  from,  to  photo- 
graph Maine,  3. 

Greenway,  "  Yale,"  Rough 
Rider,  243. 

Grimes,  battery  of,  95  ;  in  ac- 
tion, 148,  149. 

Guantanamo,  74,  114 ;  our 
troops  surprised  at,  117, 
130,  134- 

Guerilla  warfare  of  Cubans 
and  Spaniards,  118. 

Hard-tack  sandwiches,  131. 
Havana,  the   land   sharks  of. 

6  ;      making      photographs 

along   water   front    of,   n  ; 

rowdyism  at,  12  ;  departure 

from,  39. 
Hearst,  W.  R.,  proprietor   of 

New    York     Journal,    62  ; 

charters      Sylvia,     65,    66 ; 

visits  Admiral  Sampson,  71, 


276 


CANNON    AND   CAMERA. 


144, 146, 172  ;  takes  Spanish 
sailors  prisoners,  220. 
Hemment,  J.  C.,  arrives  at 
Havana,  4 ;  consults  Cap- 
tain Sigsbee  and  Consul- 
General  Lee,  9, 10  ;  insulted 
by  Spanish  volunteers,  12, 
14 ;  arrested  for  photo- 
graphing Fort  Punta,  18 ; 
escape  by  subterfuge,  19  ; 
boards  and  photographs 
cruiser  Montgomery,  22  ; 
photographs  Maine  wreck, 
23  ;  visits  Colon  Cemetery, 
26  ;  photographs  bullfight, 
29 ;  investigates  reconcen- 
trados  with  Senator  Proctor, 
30  ;  bribes  custom-house 
officials,  37  ;  leaves  Havana, 
39  ;  visits  Camp  Black  and 
camp  at  Chickamauga,  40  et 
seq.  ;  packs  up  for  Cuban 
expedition,  62  ;  sails  on 
Sylvia,  66  ;  touches  at 
Kingston,  Jamaica,  67  ;  ar- 
rives off  Santiago  de  Cuba, 
70  ;  visits  Admiral  Sampson 
and  General  Shafter,  73,  74  ; 
lauds  at  Siboney,  76 ;  visits 
General  Garcia,  80  ;  follows 
on  General  Shafter's  trail, 
87 ;  photographs  graves  of 
Rough  Riders,  88  ;  rings  a 
bell  at  fort  near  El  Pozo 
and  arouses  the  Cubans,  93  ; 
photographs  Santiago  from 
the  top  of  a  tall  tree,  95  ; 


difficulties  in  Sylvia's  dark 
room,  99 ;  sends  photo- 
graphs to  New  York  from 
Port  Antonio,  103  ;  witness- 
es bombardment  of  Morro, 
1 06  et  seq. ;  visits  Edward 
Marshall  on  Olivette,  in  ; 
among  the  Cuban  pickets, 
1 14  et  seq. ;  studies  the 
campaign  mule,  1 24  ;  visits 
camps  of  regulars  and  vol- 
unteers, 130  ;  watches  siege 
of  Santiago,  149 ;  among 
the  killed  and  wounded, 
153  ;  bandages  a  wounded 
soldier,  159 ;  the  Seventy- 
first  in  action,  161  ;  wit- 
nesses attack  on  El  Caney, 
164 ;  fierce  fight  in  the 
trenches,  169  ;  difficulty  in 
making  photographs,  171  ; 
suffering  of  our  soldiers  at 
El  Caney,  175  ;  with  Roose- 
velt's Rough  Riders,  179  ; 
photographs  operating  tents, 
1 86;  sad  scenes  among  the 
wounded,  188  ;  buries  and 
prays  over  dead  soldier,  192  ; 
fired  at  by  sharpshooters, 
197  ;  in  the  trenches  with 
the  troops,  203  ;  sees  the 
destruction  of  Cervera's 
fleet,  206  et  seq.  ;  photo- 
graphs stranded  vessels, 
218  et  seq.  \  meets  Lieuten- 
ant Hobson,  228  ;  photo- 
graphs return  of  the  Rough 


INDEX. 


277 


Riders,  242  ;  meets  old 
friends  at  Camp  Wikoff, 
243  ;  a  few  last  words,  261  ; 
useful  hints  to  photogra- 
phers, 262  et  seq. 

Heroism  of  American  soldiers, 
178. 

Hill,  Bill,  famous  mule  packer, 
127. 

Hobson,  Lieutenant,  109,  202, 
206,  227,  228. 

Holzer,  Father  Chidwick's 
assistant,  26,  27. 

Hospital,  First  Division,  164, 
175,  185 ;  operating  tents 
photographed,  186. 


Illinois  volunteers,  77. 
Indiana,   United    States    war 
ship,  107. 

Iowa,  United  States  war  ship, 
107. 

Jenkins,  Lieutenant,  officer  on 
Maine,  I,  2  ;  recovery  of  body 
of,  from  wreck,  24. 

Jersey  City,  inadequacy  of 
transportation  to,  58. 

Jim,  J.  C.  Hemment's  assist- 
ant, 136,  186;  grazed  by 
Mauser  bullet,  199. 

Jones,  Chaplain,  fired  at  while 
burying  soldiers,  118. 

Journal  headquarters  at  Sibo- 
ney,  136 ;  used  as  a  hos- 
pital, 137- 

32 


Kane,  Lieutenant  Woodbury, 
Rough  Rider,  48,  244. 

Key  West,  camp  at,  53  ;  mis- 
management at,  59. 

Kingston,  Jamaica,  66-68,  70. 

Kitchener,  General  Sir  Her- 
bert, 261. 

Knobloch,  the  brothers,  244. 

Land  crabs,  137. 
Larned,  Rough  Rider,  48,  244. 
Las  Guasimas,  where  Rough 
Riders  fought,  88,  120,  141, 

143- 

Lawton,  General,  battery  un- 
der, in  action,  169. 

Lee,  Fitzhugh,  American  con- 
sul general  at  Havana,  10, 
18,  41. 

Lesser,  Dr.,  of  the  Red  Cross 
Society,  79. 

Letter  writing  in  camp,  oddi- 
ties of,  133. 

Logan,  Mrs.  John  A.,  at  Camp 
Wikoff.  242. 

Long  Island  City,  suffering  of 
troops  at,  54. 

Long,  Secretary,  of  the  navy, 

3- 

Machina.     See  Custom  house. 

Maine,  United  States  warship, 
blown  up  in  Havana  har- 
bour, i,  4,  5,  24,  25,  35- 

Mangoes,  soldiers  forbidden 
to  eat,  132. 

Maria  Teresa,  Admiral  Cerve- 


278 


CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 


ra's  flagship,  210,  211,  220; 
havoc  aboard,  221  ;  relics 
from,  222,  226  ;  floated  and 
towed  to  Guantanamo  Bay, 
228. 

Marix,  Lieutenant-Command- 
er, judge  advocate  on  board 
of  inquiry,  24,  25. 

Marshall,  Edward,  corre- 
spondent, wounded  at  Las 
Guasimas,  in,  112,  225. 

Massachusetts,  United  States 
war  ship,  107. 

Massachusetts,  volunteers 
from,  77. 

Matanzas,  30,  32. 

Mauser  bullets,  157,  175,  184. 

McKinley,  President,  calls  for 
volunteers,  41,  44. 

Medical  supplies,  list  of,  taken 
by  author,  63. 

Miami,  transport,  arrival  of,  at 
Montauk  Point  with  Rough 
Riders,  241. 

Mike,  interpreter  at  Havana, 
17,  18. 

Miles,  General,  229  ;  consults 
with  Shafter,  229  ;  demands 
surrender  of  Santiago  from 
General  Toral,  233  ;  gains 
surrender,  234. 

Miley,  Lieutenant,  90. 

Military  mismanagement,  237. 

Montauk  Point  as  a  camp  site, 
236. 

Montgomery,  American  war 
ship,  16,  20,  21,  23. 


Morro  Castle,  Havana,  4,  16. 
Morro  Castle,  Santiago,  bom- 

bardment of,  107. 
Mosquitoes,  8,  137. 
Mule,    the,  in  the  campaign, 
.,  125,  129,  138. 


Naval  Militia  of  New  York, 
return  and  parade  of,  239  ; 
splendid  condition  of,  240. 

New  Orleans,  United  States 
war  ship,  70. 

New  York,  Admiral  Samp- 
son's flagship,  72  ;  directs 
the  bombardment  of  Morro, 
108. 

Ninth  Regiment,  142. 

"Old  Glory."   See  Stars  and 

Stripes. 
Olivette,  hospital  ship  of  Red 

Cross  Society,  79,  112. 
Operating         tents        photo- 

graphed, 1  86. 
Oquendo,  Spanish  war   ship. 

See  Almirante  Oquendo. 
Oregon,   United    States   war 

ship,  108,  213, 

Pancoast,  G.,  member  of  ex- 

pedition, 66. 
Pasaje  Hotel,  6-8,  34. 
Philip,     Captain,     of    Texas, 

107. 
Photographers,  hints  to  ama- 

teur  and    professional,  262 

et  seq. 


INDEX. 


279 


Photographic  supplies,  3,  62, 
136. 

Photographs  of  Maine  wreck 
fix  the  blame  on  the  Span- 
ish, 25  ;  first  prints  of,  sent 
to  United  States,  103 ;  of 
operating  tents,  186  ;  diffi- 
culty of  making,  during  bat- 
tle, 171. 

Pickets,  Cuban,  among  the, 
114  et  seq.,  119. 

Pickets,  Spanish,  disguises 
and  ambushes  of,  115  ;  imi- 
tate calls  of  birds  as  signals, 

120. 

Pinar  del  Rio,  30. 

Playa,  headquarters  of  Gen. 
Shafter  at,  89,  91,  137,  143. 

Pluton,  Spanish  torpedo  boat, 
driven  ashore  by  the  Glou- 
cester, 211. 

Polo  ponies,  purchase  of,  at 
Kingston,  68. 

Port  Antonio,  Jamaica,  103, 
226. 

Potter,  Commander,  on  board 
of  inquiry,  at  Havana,  24. 

Powelson,  Ensign,  United 
States  Navy,  testifies  on 
Maine  explosion  before 
board  of  inquiry  at  Havana, 
24. 

Printing  press  on  Sylvia,  66. 

Prisoners,  Spanish,  scared  by 
camera,  200  ;  arraigned  be- 
fore General  Shafter,  202  ; 
taken  by  Mr.  Hearst  and 


transferred  to  the  St.  Louis, 

220. 

Proctor,  Senator,  investiga- 
tion of  condition  of  recon- 
centrados  by,  30. 

Punta,  Fort,  in  Havana  har- 
bour, where  author  was  ar- 
rested, 16. 

Red  Cross  Society,  hospital 
ship  of,  79,  158  ;  aids  killed 
by  sharpshooters,  160  ;  great 
strain  on  capacity  of,  185. 

Refugees,  Cuban,  139  ;  apa- 
thy of,  140  ;  suffering  and 
starvation  of,  at  El  Caney, 
176,  177. 

Regulars,  American,  bravery 
of  Ninth  and  Twenty-third 
Regiments,  88 ;  assist  the 
author  to  take  photographs, 
89. 

Resolute,  naval  steamship,  for- 
merly Ward  liner  Yorktown, 
213. 

Rio  Tarquino,  212. 

Robustiano,  Spanish  boatman 
at  Havana,  21. 

Roe,  General,  in  command  at 
Camp  Black,  44. 

Roosevelt,  Colonel  Theodore, 
bravery  of,  179  ;  encourages 
his  Rough  Riders,  180 ;  in- 
cident at  Fort  Hamilton,  1 80; 
protest  by,  against  army  re- 
maining in  Cuba,  236 ;  arriv- 
al of,  at  Montauk  Point,  241. 


280 


CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 


Rough  Riders,  graves  of,  141 
179  ;  splendid  organization 
of,  182  ;  return  home  of  the, 
236. 

Sailors,  Spanish,  shot  in  sea 
by  Cubans,  214  ;  taken  pris- 
oners by  Mr.  Hearst,  220 ; 
shot  by  their  officers  for 
cowardice,  222. 

St.  Louis,  naval  despatch  boat, 

220. 

Sampson,  Admiral,  on  board 
of  inquiry  at  Havana,  24, 
72  ;  at  Siboney  when  Cer- 
vera's  fleet  dashed  out  of 
Santiago,  208. 

Sanitary  precautions,  neglect 
of,  176. 

San  Juan,  Cuban  outpost  near, 

93- 

Santiago  de  Cuba,  70  ;  photo- 
graph from  tree,  95  ;  siege 
of,  135  et  seq.  ;  surrender 
of,  229  et  seq. 

Schley,  Admiral,  direct^  de- 
struction of  Cervera's  fleet 
from  flagship  Brooklyn,  208. 

Seasickness,  3  ;  as  a  prevent- 
ive of  fever,  102. 

Seguranca,  steamship,  3  ;  Gen- 
eral Shafter's  headquarters 
aboard,  73,  74. 

Seventy- first  Regiment,  New 
York  Volunteers,  arrival  of, 
at  Camp  Black,  42  ;  landing 
of,  at  Siboney,  77, 142  ;  in  a 


hot  engagement,  161  ;  gal- 
lantry of,  163  ;  arrival  of,  at 
Montauk  Point,  248  ;  bad 
treatment  of,  at  Camp 
Wikoff,  251  ;  departure  of, 
from  Camp  Wikoff,  254 ; 
warm  reception  and  parade 
in  New  York,  256. 

Shafter,  General,  aboard  Se- 
guranca, 73  ;  visit  to,  74 ; 
physi  ;al  unfitness  of,  for 
campaign,  75  ;  gives  per- 
mission to  enter  lines,  76 ; 
requests  co-operation  of 
General  Garcia,  81  ;  Hem- 
ment,  in  pursuit  of,  87 ;  re- 
connoissance  by,  90  ;  pho- 
tograph of,  while  halting  at 
stream,  91  ;  headquarters 
of,  144 ;  headquarters  of, 
fired  on  by  Spanish  sharp- 
shooters, 194  ;  indisposition 
of,  195  ;  Spanish  prisoners 
arraigned  before,  202  ;  con- 
sults with  General  Miles, 
229. 

Sharpshooters,  Spanish,  kill 
Red  Cross  aids,  160 ;  fire 
from  steeple,  166 ;  dislodged 
by  colored  troopers,  167  ;  in 
action,  194  et  seq. ;  fire  on 
Shafter's  headquarters,  194 ; 
dislodged  by  Fifth  Artillery, 

IQ5- 
Shrapnel,   Spanish,  148,   153, 

158,  179. 
Siboney,  73  ;  landing  of  troops 


INDEX. 


281 


at,  76  ;  repulse  of  Spaniards 
at,  77  ;  hospital  headquar- 
ters at,  79,  143,  226. 

Sigsbee,  Captain,  succeeds 
Captain  Crowninshield  in 
command  of  Maine,  3,  9,  25. 

Simpson,  tug,  73. 

Sixteenth  Regiment,  142. 

Soldiers,  Spanish  regular, 
brutality  and  licentiousness 
of,  31  ;  ignorance  and  lack 
of  discipline  of,  32  ;  coward- 
ice of,  on  train,  33. 

Spanish  officer,  bravery  of,  at 
El  Caney,  167, 

Stars  and  Stripes,  21,  39 ; 
Spanish  prisoners  cheer,  225. 

Sugar  house  near  San  Juan, 

145- 

Sunstroke,  wagon  driver  af- 
fected by,  1 86. 

Suwanee,  naval  vessel,  in, 
218. 

Sylvia,  ocean  steamship,  char- 
tered by  Mr.  Hearst,  65  ; 
touches  at  Kingston,  Jamai- 
ca, 66  ;  boarded  by  officer 
from  New  Orleans,  70 ; 
leaves  Siboney  for  Port  An- 
tonio, 99  ;  difficult  work  in 
dark  room  of,  100  ;  arrival 
of,  at  Port  Antonio,  103  ; 
zeal  of  crew  of,  104 ;  in 
thick  of  naval  attack  on 
Morro  Castle,  1 10  ;  ordered 
out  of  danger,  in  ;  wit- 
nesses destruction  of  Cer- 


vera's  fleet,  209 ;  Spanish 
prisoners  transferred  from, 
to  the  St.  Louis,  220 ; 
wounded  correspondents 
Creelman  and  Marshall 
conveyed  on  board  of,  225. 

Tampa,  camp  at,  53. 
Telegram,  characteristic,  from 
Rough  Rider  to  his  girl,  246. 
Tenting,    Cuban    method   of, 

131- 
Texas,  United  States  war  ship, 

107,  213,  225. 
Thirty-second  Regiment 

(Michigan),  77. 
Tiffany,     Sergeant     William, 

Rough  Rider,  246. 
Transports,  abuses  on,  60. 
Trenches,  life  in,  203,  204. 
Twenty-fourth  Regiment,  142. 

Vesuvius,  United  States  war 
ship,  shelling  of  Morro 
Castle,  Santiago,  by,  108. 

Viscaya,  Spanish  war  ship, 
208,  2ii  ;  wreck  of,  photo- 
graphed, 215  ;  havoc 
wrought  on,  by  American 
shells,  216. 

Vixen,  United  States  steam- 
ship, in,  213. 

Volunteers,  American,  frater- 
nize with  regulars,  56. 

Volunteers,  Spanish,  8  ;  fe- 
rocity of,  12  ;  hated  by  Cu- 
bans, 13-15. 


282 


CANNON   AND   CAMERA. 


Vultures  prey  on  dead,  175, 
197,  214. 

Wadsworth,  Craig,  Rough 
Rider,  244. 

Wain  wright,  Lieutenant-Com- 
mander, executive  officer  of 
Maine,  10. 

Water,  tested  for  poison,  130. 

Watson,  Commodore,  pro- 
posed expedition  of,  to 
Spain,  240. 

Wheeler,  General,  241. 

Wikoff.     See  Camp  Wikoff. 

Wingate,  General,  48. 

Wood,  Major,  185. 


Wounded,  American,  suffer- 
ing of,  at  El  Caney,  176  ;  no 
stimulants  for,  187 ;  hard 
fare  of,  188 ;  neglect  of, 
near  San  Juan,  189 ;  shot 
by  comrades,  190  ;  heroism 
of,  192. 

Wrenn,  Rough  Rider,  48,  244. 

Yankee,  United  States  steam- 
er, formerly  Morgan  liner 
El  Norte,  239. 

Yorktown,  steamship.  See 
Resolute. 

Young,  General,  139,  242. 

Yucatan,  steamship,  39,  40. 


THE   END. 


